The rollercoaster ride of the 2022 SU recruiting class just reached its apex with 4-star Chris Bunch, its highest ranked recruit to date, committing yesterday.
The 6’7″ small forward visited Syracuse on June 28 and ranks 97th in ESPN’s top 100 2022 basketball recruits (three spots ahead of his future teammate Taylor).
Bunch heads into his first year at Wasatch Academy (a boarding school in Utah, garnering recognition as one of the best basketball prep programs in the nation) with plenty to like about his game. The senior is a polished shooter off the dribble, with control of his handles and an aggression to the rim that turns heads. He also fits an SU system that flourishes off catch-and-shoot weapons, which Bunch has continued to polish over his high school career. His wing presence is uncanny whether as a decoy or main option.
What sets Bunch apart is his poise and knowledge of the game. He is a true student of the sport who puts plenty of effort into watching film and getting better. By just watching Bunch’s game and the way he emphasizes the need to establish chemistry, the four-star acts beyond his play, dedicating himself as the glue of a program.
His addition draws immediate attention toward him and away from the other talent SU is already bringing in. Syracuse now displays so many new weapons that the decommitments of past are exactly that — in the past.
At the small forward position, Bunch (6’8″, 185 pounds) joins Taylor (6’6″, 200 pounds) and will likely toggle between time, or share a starting spot beside him (shooting guard and small forward) come the ’22-’23 season. Either way, SU has locked down all five position groups in ’22, with the addition of a four-star in Bunch who, with a couple more pounds on him, could see his ceiling rise even higher than many think it’s capped at.
Plus, if recruiting was ever in question due to the lack of regular season success of late, Syracuse has now landed five commits for a single season for the third time in the last ten recruiting classes (2013, 2019).
