Sid Tanenbaum was a New York University (NYU) All-America forward/guard in 1946 and 1947. He starred for NYU from 1944 to 1947 and was team captain in 1947.

A two-hand set-shot artist, Tanenbaum overcame the rigors of rheumatic fever to become the greatest scorer in NYU's history, with a career total of 992 points.

His health limited him to only two professional American Basketball League seasons, with New York in 1948-49 and Baltimore in 1949.
Tanenbaum was elected to the Helms Hall of Fame in 1947 and the same year received the Bar Kochba Award as America's outstanding Jewish athlete. He was selected first team All-Met in all four of his varsity seasons and twice won the Haggerty Award as the outstanding player in the New York area.

Tanenbaum was stabbed to death during a robbery in September, 1986.