We start to prepare for #portalszn
As 2024-25’s season to forget for Syracuse Orange basketball came to an unceremonious close with a blowout loss to SMU in the second round of the ACC Tournament, it’s time to turn the page to 2025-26. Spearheaded by general manager Alex Kline, SU’s staff is already searching for every possible way to improve this Orange outfit, and put out a product for fans to be proud of next season.
So, where does the program stand right now with respect to that?
Syracuse had five seniors last season, Eddie Lampkin, Jyare Davis, Lucas Taylor, Naheem McLeod, and Jaquan Carlos. Lampkin and Davis were using COVID years to play for the Orange, while the other three were all high school class of 2021 graduates who played four seasons of college basketball. As far as I’m concerned, none of those five have a chance to suit up next season.
The new senior class
JJ Starling: Syracuse’s star player, much of next season’s roster building hedges on whether he chooses to return to the fray. The Baldwinsville native has one more year of eligibility, as he’s spent the last two seasons with Syracuse after transferring from Notre Dame following his freshman season.
Chris Bell: The final remaining Jim Boeheim recruit, Bell has one more year of eligibility, and that year will likely be spent elsewhere.
Kyle Cuffe Jr.: He can probably play two more seasons of college basketball, as he could potentially get a medical redshirt for the 22-23 season at Kansas, but for now, he’s listed as a redshirt senior for 25-26.
Probably a junior?
Chance Westry: I have no idea how many years he has left, but he was listed as a redshirt sophomore last year, and until I see him listed as otherwise, I’ll be referring to him as a redshirt junior.
Sophomore Class
Elijah Moore: He made 16 starts in his freshman season, but played just 15.7 minutes per game.
Donnie Freeman: Freeman missed the last 19 games of the season with a lower-body injury that required surgery. He’s sure to have plenty of options this offseason, whether that is returning to Syracuse, entering the transfer portal, or going to play professional basketball, remains to be seen.
Petar Majstorovic: Syracuse had two open scholarships heading into last summer, and filled one of those spots with Majstorovic, who played consistently as part of the rotation off the bench.
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Incoming Freshmen
Sadiq White Jr.: A Charlotte native who played at Myers Park with Bishop Boswell (Tennessee) and Sir Muhammed (Notre Dame) before transferring to IMG for his senior year, White is an elite athlete who will make an impact from day one.
Kiyan Anthony: I’m not sure if anybody has ever heard of him, or his father, but this under-the-radar recruit is a talented scorer.
Luke Fennell: An Australian with positional versatility in the backcourt, Fennell can play on and off the ball at 6 foot 6.
Aaron Womack: His only other offers came from mid-majors, but Womack was one of the best high school players in the state of Wisconsin, averaging 28.8 points per game.
So what else is there?
With men’s basketball teams now able to carry 15 scholarship players, the Orange have four spots available before any movement going out of the program commences.
What transfers have the Orange contacted?
Syracuse reportedly reached out to Brown big man Nana Owusu-Anane back in January, but he cut his list to eight schools, that did not include Syracuse, in February. On March 12, he committed to SMU.
When does the transfer portal open?
The transfer portal opens on Monday, March 24. The day after the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Names have already started to trickle out however, with some of the most notable ones being Treysen Eaglestaff (North Dakota), Terrence Brown (FDU), Martin Somerville (UMass Lowell), Jamichael Stillwell (Milwaukee), and Jacari White (North Dakota State)