Five-star wing/forward Ahmed Nur has already put Syracuse basketball through one important checkpoint, and by all indications, the Orange came away in good shape.
Nur, a 6-foot-9, 190-pound priority target in Syracuse’s 2027 class, recently completed an official visit to the Hill. Multiple sources told Inside the Loud House that the trip to Central New York went well, and the Orange is in a strong position with the Minnesota native. That said, he is not on commitment watch.
Syracuse has made Nur one of its main priorities in 2027, alongside five-star wing/small forward Moussa Kamissoko and five-star point guard Nasir Anderson. Kamissoko is set to officially visit SU later this week, while Anderson is expected on campus later this month. The Orange’s 2027 class currently includes three-star wing Jack Donohue, an Albany, N.Y., native who plays at The Newman School in Boston.
Before landing at Syracuse, Nur had already taken official visits to Ole Miss and Purdue. He has also made an unofficial visit to Minnesota, the in-state school for the Hopkins, Minn., product. This fall, he is expected to officially visit Texas beginning on September 4.
What happens after that Texas trip will be worth watching, especially whether Nur lines up any more official visits and whether he starts to hint at a timeline for his decision. Recruiting analysts have told me there’s real buzz around Syracuse with Nur, and also with Kamissoko, but the bigger picture still matters here: SU’s current roster, the NCAA’s new 5-for-5 eligibility rules, and the financial side of roster building all factor into how this class comes together.
For now, Syracuse appears to be sitting near the top of Nur’s list, and possibly in first place. That’s a strong place to be with a prospect who is a top-25 national recruit in the 2027 class and whose stock surged after he won MVP in June at the annual NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, S.C.
Nur will play his senior season at CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix, which won last season’s high school national title. McNamara and his staff have also been recruiting that program hard, with SU offering three 2028 players there: four-star forward Isaiah Clarke, five-star point guard Liam Mitakaro and four-star forward Settimo Yugu. The previous Syracuse staff under then-head coach Adrian Autry also offered 2029 four-star big man Mamadou Issa Sow.
In Other News...
Syracuses First Defensive Depth Chart Just Raised A Big Week 1 Concern
Syracuses first defensive depth chart for the 2026 season offered a useful early look at how the Orange want to line up for their opener against New Hampshire, but it also left a few questions hanging over the defense. The kickoff is set for noon ET, and the release mostly served as a snapshot of where the coaching staff is sorting through options as camp gives way to game week.
The biggest eyebrow-raiser was Gary Bryant IIIs absence from the official chart, especially with the linebacker dealing with a knee injury after tying for the team lead in tackles last season. He is still expected to play, but his status will be one of the more closely watched items in the build-up to Week 1, and it adds a layer of uncertainty to a unit that is still being evaluated in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuses First Depth Chart Just Raised Real Opener Questions
Syracuses first depth chart for the season opener against New Hampshire offered an early look at how the Orange may have to piece things together, and the biggest question is in the backfield. JuJuan Johnson is likely to be held out even though he has been cleared to play, while Ahmad Miller is expected to be available despite dealing with an injury, leaving Tylik Hill or Matthew Ouetten in position to get the start at running back.
The uncertainty does not stop there, either, with Tyshawn Russell and Justus Ross-Simmons among the players not listed because of injury or playing status. On defense, Syracuse is projected to open in a 4-2-5 look, with several new starters noted as the Orange continue sorting out roles before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Fran Brown Hinted At Two Syracuse Questions Still Hanging Over Week 1
Fran Brown spent the final stretch before Syracuses season opener doing what a coach usually does this time of year: trying to quiet the noise around roles, health and depth while making sure the roster is ready for New Hampshire. He pointed to the programs progress on the roster and praised the staff work behind it, while also singling out sophomore defensive back Demetres Samuel Jr. as a player whose development has stood out in camp.
There are still a couple of spots worth watching once the Orange kick off, though. Brown said transfer running back JuJuan Johnson is likely to sit out the opener as a precaution, and the backup quarterback battle between Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson remains unsettled heading into Week 1. For Syracuse, the early-season focus now shifts from camp talk to how those depth-chart questions look when the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]