How Many Guys Will Be In Syracuse Rotation?

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It‚Äôs almost basketball season, which means it‚Äôs time for the annual question: How many guys will Coach Boeheim play this year? 

This year it‚Äôs especially intriguing. Considering the amount of question marks on this team there are tons of players that are in the mix this year. Counting all five freshman there are 12 guys on this years team that realistically could see the floor for meaningful minutes. Coach Boehiem said during Media Day today that this is probably the most depth they‚Äôve had in ‚Äúseven years.‚Äù 

But, it‚Äôs Boeheim so they aren‚Äôt going to play 12 guys. Let alone 10. Let‚Äôs be honest, they will probably somehow find a way to play about eight. The question is who wouldn‚Äôt make the cut if that‚Äôs the case? 

Well, here is the full list of players that could see significant playing time. 

Guards 

Jalen Carey

Buddy Boeheim 

Brycen Goodine

Joe Girard III

Howard Washington 

Forwards 

Elijah Hughes

Marek Dolezaj 

Robert Braswell 

Quincy Guerrier

Center 

Bourama Sidibe 

John Bol Ajak 

Jesse Edwards 

For starters, let‚Äôs go over players we know won‚Äôt be cut from the rotation. 

1. Elijah Hughes
2. Buddy Boeheim 
3. Jalen Carey
4. Marek Dolezaj 
5. Bourama Sidibe 

Those are the five I‚Äôd say given the amount of experience they have and playing time in the past are locks to see at least decent minutes. Maybe there is a world where Sidibe slips out but the way Coach was talking about him at Media Day it feels very unlikely. 

Outside of those five, there are two more players that will be hard to leave off the floor. Just slightly below locks but will definitely get a chance early and are likely in the long term plan. 
6. Quincy Guerrier 

7. Robert Braswell 

There has been a ton of buzz around Guerrier through practice already. He has one-and-done breakout potential. While Braswell brings some playing experience, strong physical skills and decent shooting. Hard to imagine he isn‚Äôt on the floor during ACC play. After Braswell, it becomes tough to rank the rest. 

It’s freshman that we don’t know a ton about right now and Howard Washington who obviously has battled a lot throughout his career and brings his own unknowns at this point. 
8. Brycen Goodine 

9. Jesse Edwars

10. Joe Girard III

11. Howard Washington

12. John Bol Ajak 

You can debate those last five. The main reason I have Edwards at ninth ahead of Girard and Washington is because Syracuse is going to need a backup center. It can‚Äôt just be Sidibe. Dolezaj will play the five some but my guess is Edwards gets a chance early and plays well. 

I bet Boeheim starts with 10 in the rotation for the early part of the season. No Bol Ajak (feels like a redshirt) and Washington. Come ACC play I could see a world where Goodine and Girard III have been phased out because they aren’t quite ready to translate. However, I also see a world where they are starting come ACC play.

We say it every year. Boeheim has tons of depth. He always finds a way to get down to 7 or 8 though. This year it’s going to be really interesting to follow.

I can’t wait to look back at this article and laugh in February.