Syracuse men’s basketball is still without a commit for its 2026 high school recruiting class.
The Orange have been in contention for four stars such as new Rutgers commit Imahri Wooten, and recent Marquette commit Alex Egbuono but have failed to secure a commit. While making the top 7s and top 5as of these players are encouraging, SU needs a yes to tip off the recruiting class; many college basketball analysts have talked about a snowball effect with recruiting (For example, Missouri’s powerhouse 2026 class which formulated in under a month). The Orange remain in elite 2026 forward Jordan Smith Jr’s top 6 schools, but as the weeks continue top players begin to fully commit to programs. SU must act fast and secure a strong group of 4-6 freshman, similar to its 2025 class, to sustain continuity during the unpredictable waters of the transfer portal.
Syracuse’s hot 3-0 start should help bring highschooler hoopers confidence, but most wish to pay out of the gate. Many draft experts predict true freshman Kiyan Anthony to stay in college for at least once more season. NBA teams have recently shifted older in their draft metrics, valuing an older, more season player over the unmolded talent. The four and five star players that the Orange chase after have been in starting five throughout their whole career; they hardly have interest in sitting on the bench at a slightly more “Prestigious” team than to immediately start while receiving a stronger NIL benefits package as a star player.
In a sense, Syracuse’s depth hurts them in the high school recruiting world.
The depth issue, the high school players seeking programs where they can become the main attraction from day 1, is hardly just a problem for Head Coach Adrian Autry and the Orange. Just eight of the 15 ACC programs have three or more commitments for their 2026 class.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades: basketball recruiting certainly doesn’t fall into that category.
