Gerry McNamara is set to write a third chapter in his storied legacy at Syracuse.

The former Orange star and longtime assistant is finalizing a deal to return to the program as its next head coach following a two-year stretch helming Siena, according to multiple reports Sunday.

A deal for the program legend is expected to come together in the “near future,” per ESPN.

McNamara, who posted a 37-30 record in his two seasons at Siena, will look to resuscitate Syracuse after leading the Saints to a MAAC title and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010 and nearly staging an epic upset over top-seeded Duke in the first round. They made history as the only No. 16 seed to ever lead a No. 1 seed by double digits at halftime.

Syracuse’s newly hired athletic director Bryan Blair met with McNamara several times over the last week, and program officials underscored a commitment to NIL that “projects in the top third of the ACC,” according to ESPN.

McNamara, who helped Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and the Orange to a national championship in 2003, served as an assistant on the Syracuse staff for 15 years under Jim Boeheim and Adrian Autry.

Autry, who took over for Boeheim in 2023, was fired after the ACC Tournament with a 49-48 record during his three seasons in charge — and zero NCAA Tournament appearances.

Boeheim offered high praise for McNamara during a recent appearance on Post Sports’ new weekday YouTube show, “Schein Time,” with Adam Schein. While stating he was not involved in the hiring process for Syracuse’s next head coach, the 81-year-old retired Hall of Fame coach underscored that McNamara has “certainly proved himself” and added, “I think he would be a guy you should talk to.”

Not only is McNamara a celebrated former assistant, he’s also one of the greatest players to ever put on an Orange jersey. As a 6-foot-2 guard, and three-time All-Big East honoree, McNamara started all of his 135 games played with the Orange and holds program records for minutes played and 3-pointers made from 2002-06. His 400 career triples are nearly 100 more than the next closest player — Boeheim’s son Buddy.

In March 2023, two decades after winning the program’s last NCAA championship, McNamara’s No. 3 jersey rose to the rafters.

Following a brief pro playing career primarily in Europe and the NBA Development League — now called the G-League — McNamara returned to Syracuse in 2009 as a graduate assistant. He rose through the ranks under Boeheim before taking over as associate head coach under Autry, another former four-year starter for the Orange.

McNamara, 42, will attempt to revive a Syracuse program that went 15-17 (6-12 ACC) in 2025–26 to mark back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since before he was even born (1968–69).

Syracuse finished 14th in the 18-team ACC this season and was ousted by SMU in the first round of the conference tournament, ending the year on a six-game losing streak and extending an NCAA Tournament drought to five years.