The Athletic’s CJ Moore gave Gerry McNamara a B+ for the way he built Syracuse’s roster for the 26-27 season, a mark that reflects more than just the names on the page.
Syracuse had already been handed a B- for its transfer portal haul, and Moore’s broader take on the full roster was that the Orange’s work didn’t exactly jump off the page at first glance. The class ranked No. 36 in 247’s transfer rankings, and the only top-100 portal player in The Athletic’s rankings was Siena’s Gavin Doty, who followed McNamara.
What stood out to Moore, though, was the structure of the roster. He credited McNamara for being deliberate in how he put it together, noting that most, if not all, of the rotation is 6 feet 5 or taller. The idea is clear: lean into size, build around positional flexibility and make defense a central piece of the identity.
McNamara has said he does not plan to play primarily 2-3 zone, but the roster still looks like one that could spend time in it. That possibility is enough to get Orange fans talking, especially with so much length and so many different lineup combinations available.
The questions now are just as obvious as the strengths. Is there enough ball-handling and shooting?
Can Syracuse hold up inside against bigger opponents? And does all that flexibility turn into cohesion, or does it create confusion?
The class may not have been loaded with headline-grabbing additions in either the transfer portal or the freshman group, but Moore clearly saw a plan in place. Whether it all comes together is the next part of the story.
Moore’s other grades for programs that may interest Syracuse fans were North Carolina: C+, NC State: A, Boston College: A and Georgia Tech: B. He also noted that the grades were based on a sliding scale tied to program expectations.
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