Pearl Washington Dies at 52

One of the most recognizable faces in Syracuse basketball history has died.

Pearl Washington passed away after a battle with a brain tumor. He was 52.

Jim Boeheim said Washington's commitment to Syracuse changed the program forever.

I believe at that point we officially went from being an Eastern program to a national program. Everybody knew who the Pearl was. I'd get off of a plane in L.A. and somebody would say, 'There's Pearl's coach.'" He was the guy who opened the door for us and enabled us to land recruits not just from the East Coast or the Midwest but from the entire country."

Quote taken from ESPN.com and "Color Him Orange: The Jim Boeheim Story."

Washington also played three seasons in the NBA, two with the New Jersey Nets and one with the Miami Heat.

He averaged 8.6 points per game in his NBA career after being an All-American at Syracuse from 1984-86.