Donovan Clingan has chosen UConn, and analysts believe Kyle Filipowski is heading to Duke. Both were top targets for Syracuse. Orange fans may be deflated to see those two fading into the horizon. But SU followers should focus on the positive: the recruiting class already has two elite playmakers.
Kamari Lands committed to SU back in April, a huge first domino for the ’22 recruiting class. He promised to help bring others to the Hill, and an early top 25 win depressurized the summer. Without Lands every day would have felt like a clock ticking in the background. Instead, the summer has been about adding to an already impressive group.
Justin Taylor has been ranked anywhere between 54 and 99 depending on the outlet, and he makes a perfect 1-2 pairing for Lands. Kamari is the smooth, tall, playmaking guard with a big wingspan. Taylor has been compared favorably to Andy Rautins, a 6’5″ perimeter player with an elite outside shot.
Clingan is an excellent player, and one that could lock down the paint. Filipowski has the potential to be the best player nationally in this class. He’s so special, his high school coach believes we may be comparing future stars to Filipowski. He breaks the mold.
But even if SU has lost out on one and unable to land the other, this class is an enormous victory for the program. As Jim Boeheim’s career winds down (whenever that may be), the Orange is going big on recruiting. It’s paying off with NBA first-round picks, and March runs. Regular season success would be a nice addition. There’s a lot of commitments to come over the next few months, but for now SU is in a great spot.
