Over the past week, since Peach Jam has ended, a lot of news and notes have emerged regarding Syracuse basketball and its recruiting endeavors in the class of 2024, plus looking to the future with the class of 2025 and beyond. Adrian Autry and the Orange coaches scouted players already committed to the program like Elijah Moore and Donnie Freeman, plus guys that SU has a firm eye on in Jalil Bethea, Cam Ward, and Kiyan Anthony.
The message, from Autry to those players is the kind of self-awareness the Syracuse program needs to get back to the top of college basketball:
“When I came here years ago, it was one of the elite programs in the country — not just on the court, but off it, too,” Autry told The Athletic. “That’s what I’ve been talking to recruits about. The Orange standard that we have, it’s a certain way. It’s a certain level, the way we conduct ourselves. On the court, we’re trying to get back to competing yearly, and really being more consistent yearly.”
Not only is it Autry who is relaying these messages, but the recruits are buying into it as well. Both Freeman and Moore echoed Autry’s sentiments about bringing Syracuse back, and all that entails.
“He lets me know that we’re going to bring Syracuse back,’’ Moore said to syracuse.com. “Syracuse has been having a tough time and he says you’re going to come and bring things back.’’
It’s not just the players committed to the Orange too, Bethea claimed his relationship with Autry and Gerry McNamara is strong and he wants to visit campus again, and those relationships that the coaches have built are extending to the class of 2025 as well.
“He wants to get back to that winning culture,” Cam Ward, the 65th overall player in the class of 2025 according to 247 Sports, said to syracuse.com. “I like what he’s trying to do at Syracuse and I’m definitely invested to see what they do.’’
But, the big name in the 2025 cycle that Syracuse fans are keen to learn any information about is Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo, who would be a major recruiting win for the program. Anthony is ranked 46th in the class of 2025 according to 247 Sports, and had this to say regarding what he’s heard from Autry on his recruitment:
“(Autry) is telling me they’re going to play a lot more man,” Anthony said to syracuse.com. “They’re going to change the system up a little bit, start recruiting more guys, and get the talent that’s needed to get to the next level.’’
As Autry said back in March, he’s keeping the values and traditions of the Syracuse program the same, but putting his own spin on it, and right now, he’s saying all the right things and has a lot of fans on his side despite having not coached a game yet.
