Syracuse got some great news on Sunday when Joe Girard, New York high school basketball’s all-time leading scorer, verbally committed to the Orange. SU now has three 2019 recruits committed to the program. Now that Girard is on board, how good is Syracuse’s recruiting class for the upcoming year?
Right now, 247Sports has Syracuse as the 24th best recruiting class in the country. Here’s a look at the guys who helped the Orange achieve that ranking.
Brycen Goodine
When you talk 2019 recruits for the Orange, it all starts with Goodine. Why? He committed to the program over a year ago. Since then, the 6-foot-4, 170 pound guard has continued his rise in recruiting rankings across the country. Ranked as a four-star recruit by 247Sports, Goodine is well regarded as a top shooting guard in the 2019 class.
What does Goodine bring? Size and athleticism to the 2-3 zone. We’ve seen what the SU zone looks like without players like Goodine, and it’s not pretty. So why Girard may be the talk of the town at the moment, keep in mind just how big Goodine’s commitment was for Syracuse last September.
At first glance, Goodine looks an awful lot like Orange alum Michael Carter-Williams. Here’s the irony: they played high school ball at the same school (St. Andrews School in Rhode Island).¬†Like most recruits, Goodine has some work to do. However, he brings a number of skills to the table that will easily translate to the next level. The fact he committed so early can’t be overlooked, either.
John Bol Ajak
Earlier this month, Syracuse landed Ajak, the first big man in its 2019 class. He’s a three-star recruit that committed to the Orange over schools like Villanova, Wake Forest, Georgetown and Connecticut. With Paschal Chukwu set to graduate after the season, Ajak will provide some depth for Jim Boeheim’s team in the frontcourt next year.
Ajak is rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and according to the recruiting service is the 61st best center in the 2019 class. Ajak wasn’t recruited heavily, but Syracuse likes the potential of the 6-foot-10 center. Now the question is if the Orange will add another big man in this year’s recruiting cycle.
Joe Girard III
The guy that everyone’s talking about. Girard averaged 50 points per game in his junior season and is drawing comparisons to former NCAA star Jimmer Fredette. As Tim Leonard told us earlier this week, Girard could have a very high ceiling in the ACC.
He’s an explosive scorer with a skill that should transfer to the collegiate level right away. Syracuse hasn’t had a knock down shooter in a while. With Buddy Boeheim set to make his debut this year and Girard waiting in the wings, shooting shouldn’t be a problem for the foreseeable future.
The Rest
Syracuse is still going after Girard’s AAU teammate, Isiah Stewart. Now that Girard has committed to the Orange, he’s already begun recruiting his teammate.
You‚Äôre next. Don‚Äôt keep me waiting üß°üíôüçä https://t.co/nSkRREY8HH
— Joseph Girard III (@JG3_____) October 15, 2018
Right now, this recruiting class is very solid. It’s not yet to the level of the 2018 class, but it’s getting there. Landing someone like Stewart or coveted forward Akok Akok would help push this class over the top.
After SU missed the tournament two years ago, things were’t looking great and the incoming recruiting class wasn’t that exciting. That narrative was destroyed when Oshae Brissett turned into arguably the Orange’s best player. Let’s see what Boeheim and his staff can do to close out this cycle.
