Recruiting in college basketball can break your heart in a hurry, and Syracuse has had its share of close calls with top New York prospects over the last decade-plus.
The Orange have spent years chasing some of the state’s best talent, only to watch those players land elsewhere - sometimes at the last possible moment. That sting feels even sharper when the player is from home. And in today’s recruiting world, the pressure is even heavier, with schools now paying athletes directly through rev-share, third-party NIL opportunities in play, and coaches also juggling the transfer portal and international prospects.
Since 2010, Syracuse has missed on a number of in-state targets who could have changed the look of the program. Here’s a look at several of the most notable ones.
Deron Rippey Jr. was one of the biggest recent swings. The 2026 five-star point guard from Brooklyn was pursued by Syracuse for more than two years and took both an unofficial and an official visit to the Hill.
In the end, he chose Duke, another ACC program. Syracuse likely never had the strongest path here, especially with the program’s struggles and the expectation that Adrian Autry and his staff - the group that recruited Rippey - would be gone after the 2025-26 season.
That’s exactly what happened, with Gerry McNamara later hired as SU’s next head coach.
Nigel James Jr. also got the full Orange treatment. The 2025 four-star point guard from Huntington took an official visit to Syracuse, but he committed to Marquette instead.
He flashed major production as a freshman, averaging 16.4 points, 4.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game, even as the Golden Eagles went 12-20. Now, heading into his sophomore year, national and Big East observers expect him to be one of the league’s top players.
Roddy Gayle Jr., a 2022 four-star shooting guard from Niagara Falls, had Syracuse in his top six and even made an unofficial visit before choosing Ohio State. After two seasons with the Buckeyes, he entered the transfer portal and Syracuse stayed in contact, but he wound up at Michigan and won a national championship this past spring.
Kyle Filipowski was another major miss. The 2022 five-star center from Westtown was heavily recruited by Syracuse, took an official visit and spoke highly of the program during his recruitment.
Still, he committed to Duke. He is now with the Utah Jazz in the NBA.
Andre Jackson Jr. drew a long push from the Orange as well. The 2020 four-star guard from Amsterdam took an official visit to Syracuse, and the staff chased him for multiple years.
Syracuse was widely viewed as the leader, but Jackson signed with UConn instead. He went on to win a national title with the Huskies in 2023 and is now in the NBA.
Isaiah Stewart, a 2019 five-star center from Rochester, also visited Syracuse officially. He ultimately spent one season at Washington, where former SU player and assistant Mike Hopkins was the head coach.
Stewart and Hopkins had a very strong relationship, and Stewart has since built a solid NBA career. He is currently with the Memphis Grizzlies after being traded there by the Detroit Pistons earlier this month.
Kevin Huerter, from Clifton Park, was another New York name Syracuse had on the board. The Orange offered the 2016 four-star shooting guard, but the scholarship was tied to the 2017 season, which would have required a post-grad year before he could suit up. He chose Maryland, played there for two seasons and has gone on to a long NBA career, most recently with Detroit.
Thomas Bryant, a 2015 five-star center from Rochester and a top-15 national prospect in his class, was also pursued hard by Syracuse. He took an official visit to the Orange, but committed to Indiana instead. Bryant spent two seasons with the Hoosiers and has now played 11 NBA seasons, most recently with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Other News...
Syracuse Awaits A Massive Recruiting Decision On Familiar Name
Amari Elianos recruitment has become one of the more interesting storylines for Syracuse to watch this summer, and not just because he is a talented athlete out of Toledo Central Catholic with six offers on the table. He took an official visit to Syracuse, where the staff recruited him as a dual-threat athlete, and the Orange had a built-in connection in his father, Perry Eliano, who recently joined the program as defensive backs coach.
Now the timeline is set, with Amari planning to announce his college commitment on Aug. 9, his birthday. For Syracuse, the appeal is obvious: a familiar name, a family tie to the staff, and a player the coaches believe can fit into more than one role, even if the final decision is still waiting to be revealed. [Read more 🡒]
Kiyan Anthony Sees Early Signs Syracuse's New-Look Roster Can Deliver
The first summer practice under Gerry McNamara gave Syracuse a fresh look, and Kiyan Anthony came away encouraged by how quickly the new pieces have started to fit. Anthony talked through the early days of workouts after the coaching change, pointing to transfer Garwey Duals defense and praising a group of newcomers that also includes Gavin Doty, Frances Folefac, Tasman Goodrick, Aiden Tobiason, Luke Wilson, Abdramane Siby and Mark Morano Mahmutovic.
Anthonys comments offered a first glimpse at what this roster might become once the Orange get back on the floor after their two-week break. The early chemistry is one thing, but the real question is how much of that promise carries over when the pace picks up and the team starts testing itself beyond summer drills, especially with several players still trying to carve out their roles in McNamaras system. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Landed A Visit That Could Say A Lot About Its Future
A major recruiting test is coming to Syracuse basketball at the end of August, when five-star power forward Ahmed Nur is set to make an official visit from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30. The 2027 prospect is already viewed as one of the nations top players, and the Orange are trying to make an early impression on a recruit whose profile has only kept rising.
The timing matters because Syracuses new coaching staff has already jumped in with a scholarship offer, putting the program in the mix with a long list of heavyweight suitors. Nur also has an official visit lined up with Washington and has already been to Purdue and Minnesota, so this trip will be one more chance for Syracuse to show it can compete for elite talent in a crowded race. [Read more 🡒]