A big stretch is on the horizon for the Syracuse Men’s Basketball program. Not only is the ACC Tournament coming up next week, but the recruiting cycle for the class of 2025 is about to kick into high gear. So far the Orange have landed… zero commits from that group, but keep in mind they only had one for the class of 2024 at this time last season. Needless to say, a lot could change depending on how things go next week.
Barring something crazy, Syracuse’s class of 2024 appears relatively set in stone for the most part. No matter how the Orange perform in the ACC Tournament, Elijah Moore and Donnie Freeman, two recruits thought of in very high regard (especially the latter), will be coming to the hill next year. Could a good performance attract an additional player? It’s unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility. But the class of 2024 will not change for the worst regardless of what happens next week.
As of right now, the class of 2025 is a clean slate not just for SU, but every school in the country. Out of 247 Sports’ top 25 recruits in the class, just one of them has committed. That means there is plenty of wiggle room for Syracuse to make its name known as a power player for this cycle. How do you start to build that resume? Play well at the ACC Tournament.
The Orange have started to dip their toes in the water already, with a particular focus on a player who isn’t that important, only the son of arguably the most talented player to ever suit up for SU. Losing the Kiyan Anthony sweepstakes would be catastrophic. How do you avoid that? Putting on a good show at the ACC Tournament.
Besides Kiyan, prospects including London Jemison, Sadiq White, and Matt Gilhool have taken visits to Syracuse this year. All of those players are consensus four-star recruits with size, something this year’s Orange squad has lacked for a long time. There’s been so much talk about Adrian Autry “cleaning the cobwebs” in the wake of Jim Boeheim’s exodus as well as the recruiting prowess of the assistants, in particular Brenden Straughn. Talk only does so much to move a player. Prove it on the court in the national spotlight at the ACC Tournament, then the odds any of those recruits put on an Orange uniform increase.
A lot could change because of players moving out of Syracuse, whether it be the transfer portal or the NBA Draft. But the only certainty is that SU, more specifically Autry and the coaching staff, cannot lay a dud at the ACC Tournament next week. The conference’s national relevance, whether you agree with it or not, is declining. A bad performance will do the Orange no favors in the recruiting stratosphere.
