Washington played at Syracuse from 1983-1986, helping the Orange to an NCAA tournament appearence in each of his three seasons. The point guard was known for his incredible ball-handling, as well as his versatility; he racked up 1,490 points (ranks 25th in Syracuse history), 631 assists (ranks fourth) and 220 steals (ranks fifth). 

The New Jersey Nets selected Washington with the 13th overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. Washington played for both the Nets and the Miami Heat during his three-year NBA career.

Washington would be named to the Big East Conference 25th anniversary first team in 2004, and to the Syracuse University All Century team in 2000. His uniform #31 was retired by Syracuse. He was named a Syracuse Letterwinner of Distinction in 2014. The Pearl passed away in April 2016 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. Jim Boeheim told ESPN that the Pearl was "The most exciting player I’ve ever seen, yet the most humble, the most liked and he’ll be the most missed of anybody."