As far as I can tell, Syracuse basketball has offered at least a half-dozen big men in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and to date, the Orange hasn’t had any luck landing a commitment.
Now, in all fairness, I don’t have inside information as to whether these various targets in the rising senior class didn’t ultimately have much interest in the ‘Cuse, or vice versa (or perhaps both).
And if we’re talking solely about power forwards/centers in the 2023 class, Syracuse basketball coaches do appear to be continuing their pursuit of four-star big man Joseph Estrella, although some analysts are giving Duke buzz in his recruitment lately.
Assuming Estrella heads to the Blue Devils or to one of his many other impressive suitors, the Orange may need to head back to the drawing board if it seeks to secure a power forward/center in this cycle.
Let’s look at big men whom Syracuse basketball has offered in 2023.
According to recruiting services, in the rising-senior class, the ‘Cuse has offered scholarships to the aforementioned Estrella, five-star center Ugonna Kingsley, four-star big man Tafara Gapare, four-star power forward/center Papa Kante, five- star power forward GG Jackson and four-star power forward/center Isaiah Miranda.
Last month, Gapare committed to DePaul. Jackson is committed to North Carolina. We’ll have to see what transpires with Estrella. Kingsley, as we noted in a recent column, is getting Kentucky buzz.
And media reports in recent months seem to indicate that both Kante and Miranda are focused on other schools besides the Orange.
I guess one thing to consider here is, does Syracuse basketball need a big man as part of its 2023 class?
Given the transfer-portal explosion, I would say yes, the team does, because the ‘Cuse should anticipate a transfer or two out of the program after the upcoming campaign.
To that end, though, Orange coaches can certainly mine the portal to potentially bring a big man into the program, especially if the ‘Cuse doesn’t grab a power forward or center among high-school players in the 2023 cycle.
Regarding the current Syracuse basketball roster, I believe that senior center Jesse Edwards could take a fifth year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but let’s see if that actually occurs.
Three-star big man Peter Carey, a 2022 prospect, would have three years of eligibility remaining as we look to the 2023-24 stanza. Center Mounir Hima, a transfer to the Orange from Duquesne, would have two years of eligibility left.
Many high-school players in the 2023 class are taking official visits this summer and will likely make their college decisions known in the early fall prior to their senior seasons commencing.
So it could be a bit late in the cycle for Syracuse basketball coaches to start offering scholarships to newly targeted big men in the 2023 class.
Then again, who really knows. With the transfer portal open and available, the ‘Cuse doesn’t have to act with desperation in finding another power forward/center prior to 2023-24.
But the squad, at least so far anyway, has swung and missed as it relates to big-men recruits in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
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