2024 small forward Tyler Betsey has flown under the radar in recruiting so far. As of right now, he isn’t ranked on 24/7 Sports. However, that hasn’t stopped several high-major schools from offering him, including Iowa and TCU who both made the NCAA Tournament last year. But they’re not the only ones:
So why did Syracuse give an unranked player a scholarship offer two weeks ago?
First of all, Betsey has excellent size for his position. Standing 6’8″, he’s been playing a combination of point guard and small forward in the AAU circuit this summer. For reference, Joe Girard is 6’1″. Girard’s lack of size has made life a little more difficult defensively for SU. That’s not to say Girard is a bad defender, but bringing in a bigger guy like Betsey who can play at the top of the zone would tremendously reinvigorate it. Based on his size for his position alone, Betsey will make a big impact defensively.
Betsey has also grown up in a very intense basketball environment. A Windsor, CT native, he has made the roughly three-hour drive to play his AAU ball in New York City. Betsey caught the eyes of several scouts playing for the NY-Renaissance at a tournament in Kansas City a few weeks ago.
Those stats aren’t too shabby. Betsey is putting up those numbers in a high-competition showcase playing for a rather talented AAU team. It’s only a matter of time before he shoots up recruiting rankings.
Let’s finally look at what the state of SU basketball will be two years from now, or entering Betsey’s freshman season. Joe Girard and Symir Torrence will without question be out the door, even if they take the extra COVID year. Considering SU’s current lack of recruits in the class of ’23 as well as the uncertainty of the transfer portal (and even the NBA Draft), it’s nearly impossible to predict how the roster will look. Starting off the ’24 recruiting cycle on a good note with Betsey is a good start towards finding clarity. Also, considering the attention Betsey has started to attract, it’s not crazy to think that bringing him in would start to attract more recruits. He can jump-start SU’s recruiting for the Class of ’24 in a big way.
Betsey has excellent size for his position, has been playing in a tough environment, and could potentially fill a hole on the roster as soon as arrives in the 315. Now’s the time for SU to make its play at this extremely underrated recruit.
