Is it possible to be too greedy when it comes to the 2022 recruiting class?
In all fairness, Kamari Lands and recent commit Justin Taylor have already placed Syracuse into a top 5 recruiting class conversation. But, as seen by the downfall of Kentucky this past year with many top recruits, or even the struggles of Duke and North Carolina, the construction of a dynamic team does not guarantee success.
So why not go all out and build a well-oiled unit filled with plenty of potential.
It’s time to meet a player that isn’t on everyone’s radar, but could add depth to an already predestined dominant young core. In fact, today is the last of his three-day official visit to Central New York.
Chris Bunch
If you‚Äôre asking yourself, “who?”, then it‚Äôs time to expand your horizon beyond the northeast. Bunch is a 6-foot-7, 185-pound small forward out of Concord, CA. He plays at De La Salle High School in Northern California and according to 247Sports, sits just outside the top 100 in his class.
Bunch is often described as a swiss army knife of sorts. He can slash to the rim with pace, finesse and vigor. But the soon-to-be senior has the confidence to pull up from anywhere on the court. Bunch is a player that can score at any level and even as a small forward, handles the ball like a point guard or two-guard.
This makes the 6-foot-7 California native versatile, rather than expendable. That’s what today’s game is molding players into and if Bunch can enter college with that ability, his impact as a position-less player is extremely valuable.
What stands out the most with Bunch is his ability to read the court off the dribble. He is reactive to each defense’s halfcourt set rather than taking the overaggressive or overanxious approach. This opens the floor up for Bunch and allows him to find open space whether he‚Äôs on- or off-ball.
The wing’s shooting ability is uncanny too. His athleticism screams “forward”, but his range spells “guard”. All Bunch has done is improve in top tier situations and competitions, garnering over 15 offers, which recently has grown thanks to Arkansas and Ole Miss.
The only issue is that Lands and Taylor were small forwards in high school, and many could say that Bunch would crowd that position even more. But as any fan of college basketball has seen over the past couple of years, positions are vanishing and talent is taking center stage, something that Bunch has a lot of and plenty more to put on display.
