Lawrence Moten, the leading scorer in Syracuse men’s basketball history who played three seasons in the NBA, has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 53.

Moten was found dead in his home in his native Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, his daughter, Lawrencia, told Syracuse.com. A cause of death for Moten was not immediately clear.

“Lawrence Moten was a Syracuse icon,” Syracuse director of athletics John Wildhack said in a news release. “His accolades as Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer and holding the BIG EAST scoring record for 25 years speak for themselves, but his style of play is what energized the Dome and was deserving of his nickname ‘Poetry in Moten.’ He was a fixture around the program long after his playing career, always with a smile on his face. We extend our thoughts and prayers to Lawrence’s family and friends. He will be Forever Orange.”

Moten, a 6-foot-5 guard, scored a Syracuse school record 2,334 points in four seasons for the Orange from 1991-95. He was selected to the All-Big East team four times, All-Big East Tournament Team two times, and was named the Big East Rookie of the Year as a freshman in the 1991-92 season, when he became the first ‘Cuse freshman to score 500 points in a season.

In his four seasons at Syracuse, Moten averaged 19.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.2 minutes across 121 games played. His No. 21 jersey was retired by Syracuse during a pre-game ceremony on March 2, 2018.

After Syracuse, Moten played three seasons in the NBA – two for the then-Vancouver Grizzlies and one for the Washington Wizards. He averaged 6.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 15.2 minutes in 111 NBA games from 1995-98.

Former Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, who recruited Moten to the program, issued a statement remembering the late legend.

“This is a tragic day for the Syracuse basketball family,” Boeheim said in the release. “Lawrence’s passing is such a sudden thing — it’s very hard to take. He was one of the most underrated college basketball players of all time. I believe some people took his ability for granted because he made it look so easy. Lawrence was one of our greatest players and one of the best in the history of the BIG EAST Conference.”

Current Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry, who was a teammate of Moten’s for three seasons, also issued a statement on his death.

“It’s a sad day for the Orange community,” Autry said. “For me, Lawrence was not only a teammate, but a friend. I can’t think of anybody that was more positive or who loved Syracuse more than he did. Obviously, his basketball – he was one of the greatest to put on the uniform. It’s a big loss. I was able to play alongside him for three years and watch him do some amazing things. I was fortunate to spend time with him on and off the court. I feel for his family, including his beautiful daughters. Lawrence was a positive light in this world. He was one of a kind. I’m going to miss him.”

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