Wednesday night’s NBA Draft first round featured four ACC selections and a Georgetown selection. What didn’t happen last night, something that hasn’t happened since 2020, was a Syracuse player hearing their name called to be drafted into the NBA. For a storied program and “Basketball school” like Syracuse, this becomes increasingly upsetting with each year passing by without a drafted member. However, this year’s reloaded team has given Orange fans some hope towards breaking this NBA drought. Here are the most likely Syracuse draft canidates:
Donnie Freeman, Sophomore
Freeman, the second highest rated recruit in Syracuse history, was all but guaranteed to head to the NBA as a potential lottery pick and become a one-and-done. His right foot injury, forcing him to miss almost all of 2025, derailed those plans and pushed Freeman to come back to Syracuse for another season. However, the injury and his increased draft age doesn’t seem to hinder his position for 2026; early mock drafts have Freeman as a first round pick. Freeman will greatly benefit from the added transfers of Naithan George and Nate Kingz. They will help to stretch out an opposing defense and give Freeman more space to work in the paint. His two-way style and 6’9” frame will intrigue many NBA teams as stretch forwards continue to be in demand. He is both a rim protector and an offensive playmaker; this versatility presents a tough matchup for a defender. Freeman will become a lottery prospect once again if he can raise his midrange efficiency and consistently beat the top centers in the ACC for rebounds.
J.J. Starling, Senior
Starling has been steadily mocked in the 2nd round, with NBA scouts loving his offensive potential. Starling has been the main ball handling guard for the Orange since transferring in 2023. His 17.8 points per game and ability to flat-out carry Syracuse in the second half of the season earned him an All-ACC honorable mention. Starling excels in one on one matchups: He can either maneuver his way around a defender and get to the hoop with extreme precision, or pull out a step-back and knock down a three pointer right in the defender’s face. Starling’s playmaking game will now fully be on display in 2025/26; the new transfers, especially knockdown three point shooter Nate Kingz, will give Starling reliable offensive weapons to feed once he draws multiple defenders. If Starling can get an uptick in assists, scouts will begin to push him into the combo guard discussions.
Naithan George, Junior
George, the top point guard in the transfer portal, chose to stick in the ACC with Syracuse after two great years at Georgia Tech. He took on the task of being the main scorer and ball handler, often guarded by the opposing team’s best defender, and still managed 12 points per game and an All-ACC honorable mention. He will thrive in a Syracuse offense that looks to use both Donnie Freeman and incoming transfer William Kyle III as chess pieces for pick and roll sets. Just like Starling, George will greatly benefit from having additional offensive options. A strong year with the Orange could very well place him into the 2nd round of the draft.
Sadiq White/Kiyan Anthony, Incoming Freshmen
College basketball’s new NIL format has encouraged players to stay longer in college to further develop before entering the draft. While many scouts anticipate this to be the path for both White and Anthony, nobody knows how this year will play out for the star freshman duo. Either of them could decide to declare after their first year, and NBA teams would be interested by potential alone. Being a one-and-done isn’t the likeliest route in today’s new era of college basketball, but these two have serious NBA potential that scouts would want in any draft year.
Ultimately, wins are going to drive the NBA futures of these Syracuse players. The NBA teams favor players participating in March Madness, with scouts always on the lookout for “Winners”. And with summer practices already starting, Coach Autry must begin to build winning quailities in his squad for the grind of facing elite ACC opponents. The draft recognition will come; the Orange players just have to focus on stacking up wins.
