It took eons longer than last year, but Syracuse men’s basketball has landed a recruit for this fall. Brooklyn native and 7’2 center William Patterson is the first class of 2023 player to choose SU. Patterson dwindled down his list to three schools (Cuse, Oklahoma State and TCU) around four months ago before putting off his official commitment until today. But either way it’s a huge win for the Orange, wiping away the awful look of a goose egg for ’23 recruits.
Patterson received a scholarship offer from the coaching staff back in August, when Syracuse annually hosts its SU Elite Camp. He also garnered attention from Cincinnati and UCLA before condensing his list to two Big 12 schools and ‘Cuse. Rutgers was another northeast school that showed interest in Patterson’s services.
This might seem like a bleak add because the Brooklyn native has no stars on 247 Sports, but a reminder that when Peter Carey committed to SU, he was also unranked. This is not to say that Patterson could turn into a world beater over the summer and climb up the rankings, but with Assistant Coach Allen Griffin as his lead recruiter, potential must be there. This addition has the bottom line of John Bol Ajak, but the ceiling of Jesse Edwards. Even if the result is a player who rides the bench, depth at the center position is critical with the knowledge that Edwards’ future in Orange is unknown with just one season of eligibility left.
Now let’s get to Patterson’s game. He currently attends The Patrick School in New Jersey, which is also a plus when a commit chooses a prep school to retool and enhance his game. It’s very refreshing to watch him play even if it’s exactly what you’d expect from someone who’s over seven feet tall. That’s because his game mirrors that of a “role guy.” There’s nothing wrong with a seven footer wanting to stretch the floor on offense, but that’s not what Syracuse needs. The Orange want their big men to rebound, block shots and clog the paint on defense, while taking away the rim protector and pass on offense. Patterson has that potential. He runs the floor with ease and has a nose for where the ball is at all times.
The only question is what happens if Edwards comes back next season for his fifth year. Redshirting Patterson isn’t a bad option due to his 220-pound frame, and wanting that build to grow before he takes the court, but that’s assuming the center wants to take a year off. If not, he is buried behind Edwards, Mounir Hima and Peter Carey (fresh off a redshirt year). Either way, it’s a positive sign that Jim Boeheim and company are stacking the center room, a position group that’s been rather bleak over the past couple years.
Take the previous analysis as you wish, but the grandiose point of it all is that the Orange finally have a 2023 commit. It’s not a five-star like Benny Williams was a couple years ago, but it is a 7’2 rim runner that can block shots and isn’t even a college athlete yet. In a couple years, Patterson could be a key piece, and if not, Carey and Hima have a plethora of years left to provide minutes down low for SU.
