SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse University Athletics will add Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Dave Bing ’66 to its Ring of Honor at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, when the Orange host NC State.
"Dave Bing's career at Syracuse, the NBA, as a business leader, as Mayor of Detroit and now as leader of the Bing Youth Institute is one of tremendous achievement and impact," said Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack. "Dave's induction into the Ring of Honor is incredibly well deserved and provides Orange fans the opportunity to honor a truly remarkable person."
Bing enrolled at Syracuse University in 1962 and became part of a basketball resurgence. In 1963-64, his first campaign with the varsity, Bing helped the Orange to a 17-8 record and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
As a senior, Bing led Syracuse to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1956-57. He keyed a lineup that combined to average a school-record 99.0 points per game. The Orange defeated Davidson in a first-round NCAA matchup before losing at second-ranked Duke, 91-81. Coach Fred Lewis directed Syracuse to a 22-6 mark and Bing averaged 28.4 points an outing. Bing earned consensus All-America honors.
He was the second overall pick in the 1966 draft by the Detroit Pistons and the 1967 NBA Rookie of the Year. He played 12 seasons and was an eight-time NBA All-Star.
Bing was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. Six years later, in 1996, Bing was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. The NBA 75th Anniversary team, selected in 2021, also featured Bing.
He founded The Bing Group, a Detroit Automotive Supply Company, and served as president and chairman from 1980 through 2006. He was honored by President Ronald Reagan with the Minority Small Business Person of the Year Award.
He received the George Arents Award from Syracuse University in 1994. It is the University’s highest alumni honor. Bing has earned honorary doctorate degrees from Kettering University, Syracuse University, and the University of Michigan.
Bing was elected Mayor of Detroit on May 5, 2009, and served until January 2014.