After getting a crucial commitment from Taurean Thompson, Syracuse still has two open scholarships for the 2016-17 season. The staff and fans alike are hoping one of those spots is filled by Andrew White III who is transferring out of Nebraska and visited Syracuse last weekend. Following his visit, White said that he had a positive experience and that he felt Syracuse has a “chance to win big” next season.
It is understandable that a Final Four run in 2016 would spark some interest among potential recruits, particularly one who only has one year of eligibility left. White has had the experience of being a starter and a huge piece of a team and now he might be ready and willing to take a little bit of a smaller role in order to be on a winning team. Well, the question remains; will Syracuse be a winning team next season?
For much of the 2015-16 season, the Orange were pretty average. They finished middle of the pack in the ACC and just sneaked into the NCAA tournament. However, their four tournament wins changed everything, catapulting Malachi Richardson to the NBA. The Orange have lost their top three scorers from last season and will likely have to rely heavily on underclassmen.
Yet, many Syracuse fans are optimistic about the upcoming season and it is hard to blame them. Tyler Lydon blossomed into a very good player at both ends of the floor as last season unfolded and Syracuse is adding a 7-2 forward in Pascal Chukwu and a trio of talented freshmen.
Despite the significant loses this off-season, Syracuse is more poised in the pre-season to do damage in the ACC than they have been since Tyler Ennis led the Orange to a 25-0 start. There are many question marks but the upside of this team is probably as high as any Syracuse team in recent memory. So, in short, Andrew White III was right. Syracuse does have the chance to win big next season and those chances will only improve if he joins the Orange and Jim Boeheim adds another experienced guard to his roster.
