Less than a week after the transfer portal opened, Syracuse has its first recruit.
The Orange landed UCLA junior transfer William Kyle on Thursday, which the 6 ‘9 forward first announced on his Twitter. Kyle averaged 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds across 9.6 minutes per game for the Bruins, shooting over 70% from the field.
While there are conflicting reports, it’s rumored that Kyle will earn $700k in NIL deals from Syracuse, which seems like a steep price for a player who averaged under three points per game. On the surface, those concerns seem valid, but Kyle’s numbers with UCLA don’t tell the whole story.
Before coming to UCLA, Kyle spent two seasons with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds his sophomore year while shooting 62% from the field. He thrived as a defensive anchor for the Jackrabbits, earning Summit League Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24 and the Summit League Tournament MVP while claiming a spot on the First Team All-Summit League.
If Kyle can provide that same type of production at Syracuse, he could have a similar impact to Eddie Lampkin. After three seasons with TCU and one with Colorado, Lampkin spent his final year of eligibility with the Orange this year, averaging a near double-double with 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds while dishing out 2.1 assists per game.
Kyle is in a similar situation as Lampkin. He has one year of eligibility remaining, meaning he could provide solid paint protection while filling in as the team’s starting center for a year if Syracuse doesn’t add another big man in the portal.
Lampkin quickly became a fan favorite for his hustle and defensive energy, which Kyle should provide even better. Lampkin averaged only 0.5 blocks per game last year, while Kyle averaged 1.6 blocks in his final year with the Jackrabbits and 0.6 with UCLA. He also provides more of a lob threat than Lampkin, as 28 of his 38 made shots with the Bruins last year were dunks.
At UCLA, Kyle fell out of the rotation as the year went on, playing a combined 11 minutes in the team’s two March Madness games, but Syracuse is banking on his defensive prowess during his time with South Dakota State to return with the Orange.
If head coach Adrian Autry can help Kyle return to that type of production, Syracuse’s investment will be more than worth it and give the Orange a paint protector who can fly above the rim.
