Those who know me know that I love the Syracuse basketball program as much as anyone on this planet.
And in my nearly six years of writing about the Orange for Inside The Loud House, the vast majority of my stories have come out positive when discussing the ‘Cuse.
This column, however, will not be one of those instances. In my humble opinion, so far Syracuse basketball has proven to be an utter disappointment with their recruiting efforts in the 2023 cycle.
“So far”, however, is the key term here. This cycle is not over. Sure, plenty of top-flight prospects in the rising senior class have made their commitment announcements, but let’s not forget that last spring four-star goalkeeper Judah Mintz signed up with the Orange at the end of the season. of the 2022 cycle.
‘Cuse’s coaching staff, by extension, remains in pursuit of 2023 four-star guard Mike Williams, who will make an official visit to the Hill in mid-September, according to media reports.
Also, Syracuse basketball coaches could still hand out other scholarship offers this cycle (in fact, the ‘Cuse did on Saturday, offering 2023 great man William Pattersona 7-foot-2 emergent prospect).
Certainly, I agree that we should wait and see how everything goes here for the Orange in the class of 2023, even as many ‘Cuse fans grow increasingly frustrated, and understandably so.
But the optics don’t look good for Syracuse basketball in its 2023 cycle.
The whole subject of the absence of a single commitment from Orange to date in the class of 2023 has been on my mind for a while now, and what has discouraged me focuses on two long-standing priority objectives for the ‘Cuse in this cycle.
One of those rookies, four-star winger Reid Ducharme, had Syracuse basketball in his final three before committing to Big East Conference member Xavier against Orange and Penn State on Thursday.
Additionally, four-star big man Joseph Estrella will announce his college pick on Sept. 2, and word among national scouting analysts is that he’ll pick the Southeastern Tennessee Conference team.
It’ll sting if the ‘Cuse ends up swinging and missing on Ducharme and Estrella, but for me it’s not about losing those two guys. The larger context, from my perspective, is much more concerning.
According to recruiting services, reports and social media, Syracuse basketball coaches have offered about 20 prospects in the class of 2023.
Assuming Estrella is out of the picture, I don’t know of any other 2023 players Orange is currently involved with except Williams. To reiterate, though, that could absolutely change in the near future.
By the way, I’ve posted the deals the ‘Cuse would have made in the Class of 2023 below.
A few more points here for context. While it’s a disappointment that, so far, Syracuse basketball has yet to secure a 2023 commitment, the team has hauled a class of six into 2022 and a big under-man. class moved into the program this past offseason.
As such, it’s entirely possible that, all along, the Orange wasn’t likely to secure a great 2023 cycle. Additionally, this 2022 class includes three powerful guards, which perhaps has disabled many of the 2023 guards the ‘Cuse had offered at one time or another.
That being said, Syracuse’s current basketball roster has 12 scholarship players and three seniors. So even if only these three seniors leave after the 2022-23 campaign, and no one else (which is unlikely given the transfer portal explosion), looking to the 2023-24 stanza, the ‘Orange would have a minimum of four open exchanges.
If Syracuse basketball isn’t able to grab 2023 high school player commitments, the team will almost certainly have to hit the transfer portal hard after the 2022-23 term.
Although I often wear orange-colored glasses, being a proud alumnus of Syracuse University and such, I’m really discouraged by the 2023 cycle for the ‘Cuse, especially after the team has acquired a class among the top 15 in 2022 as well as a consensus four-star, top-50 player in the 2021 cycle, Orange sophomore forward Benny Williams.
The 2023 cycle has been a heated topic of discussion for my fellow ‘Cuse fans on social media and in chat rooms lately. And an important point fans are raising is the uncertainty of when head coach Jim Boeheim will retire and who will replace him on the Hill.
Now Boeheim has said he knows when he will step down, and reports suggest a succession plan is in place. But it’s not in the public domain.
I am curious if Boeheim and his assistants share such news with the 2023 and 2024 lenses and I have no information about it.
However, you better believe other college teams are using this as a recruiting tactic against the Orange. The 2023 recruiting cycle has been tough for the ‘Cuse so far, but I’m trying to hold out some hope that Syracuse basketball will turn things around in the near future.
Syracuse Basketball Offers 2023
• Five-star winger Matas Buzelis (involved in the NBA’s G League Ignite)
• Four-star winger Gavin Griffiths (signed with Rutgers)
• Five-star striker GG Jackson (signed in South Carolina; reclassified in 2022)
• Four-star shooter Blue Cain (hired with Georgia Tech)
• Four-star winger Elijah Fisher (signed from Texas Tech; reclassified in 2022)
• Four-star point guard Aden Holloway (signed at Auburn)
• Four-star striker Spencer Mahoney (undecided; frankly, I don’t know if the Orange are keeping in touch with him)
• Five-star small forward Justin Edwards (signed at Kentucky)
• Five-star point guard Simeon Wilcher (engaged in North Carolina)
• Four-star center Papa Kante (undecided; Orange doesn’t appear to be a contender for him)
• Five-Star Playmaker DJ Wagner (undecided; analyst buzz is he’ll likely choose Kentucky or Louisville)
• Four-star winger Reid Ducharme (devoted to Xavier)
• Four-star big man Joseph Estrella (undecided; experts predict he’ll choose Tennessee)
• Five-star striker Kwame Evans Jr. (signed for Oregon)
• Four-star big man Isaiah Miranda (undecided; it doesn’t look like the ‘Cuse is a contender for him)
• The four-star Ugonna Kingsley center (engaged in Kentucky; upgraded in 2022)
• Four-star wing Tafara Gapare (committed to UMass; upgraded in 2022)
• Four-star point guard Elmarko Jackson (undecided; he recently revealed his top 11 and didn’t include ‘Cuse)
• Four-star guard Elijah Gertrude (undecided; he didn’t include Syracuse basketball when he recently listed his top five)
• Four-star goalkeeper Mike Williams (undecided; on official visit to Orange next month)
• Big man William Patterson (undecided; just offered by the ‘Cuse last Saturday during the team’s annual elite camp)
