Syracuse Basketball: The NBA Draft Machine, Who’s Next?
By David Stone
In the past several years, Syracuse has been churning out players who were drafted by the NBA. Just last year, both Rakeem Christmas and Chris McCullough were drafted in the first 40 picks. The year before that it was Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant. Before that it was Michael Carter-Williams. Even earlier you can find players like Dion Waiters, Kris Joseph, Fab Melo, Andy Rautins, and Wes Johnson. The point is, Syracuse has seen a lot of talent head to the NBA.
Unfortunately for SU, some of those players left school early and unexpectedly. The past few years have seen teams that aren’t nearly as deep and it has hurt the team’s overall performance. Last year is a perfect example, as no one really expected SU to lose both Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant. The loss of both put Syracuse in an awkward position where they were forced to start Kaleb Joseph at the point before he was ready. It also made the bench nightmarishly short when McCullough went down with injury.
So the big question we have to ask ourselves now is, who’s next? There are two obvious players who will be gone either way at the end of this year: fifth year seniors Michael Gbinije and Trevor Cooney. I’m not so sure Cooney will be drafted, as although he is an adept shooter, he is also incredibly streaky and not a true point guard or NBA-ready shooting guard.
Feb 24, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Michael Gbinije (0) goes up for a shot as Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Pat Connaughton (24) defends in the second half at the Purcell Pavilion. Syracuse won 65-60. Photo Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Gbinije on the other hand has a very solid chance of being drafted, and quite possibly going as a mid-late first round pick. He’s got excellent size and length for a guard, but is deceptively quick as well. He’s got a well-rounded game and can do a bit of everything.
What is really going to set him apart is his defense. We weren’t able to see any man to man at Syracuse obviously, but over the summer he played on the Nigerian national team in AfroBasket 2015, helping them to a title and a berth in the Olympics. He played exceptional man to man defense throughout the tournament and was one of the better all around players.
I see Gbinije going somewhere in the mid 20’s. There’s a chance he slips into the second round due to his age (similar to Christmas), but I don’t think so. He’s just got way too much upside.
Besides Gbinije and Cooney, who else has a chance of going to the NBA on this team? Two other names stick out for me. They are Dajuan Coleman and Malachi Richardson.
I know what you’re thinking… Dajuan Coleman, are you nuts!? Quite possibly, but that’s a matter for a different blog. Coleman enters this year with nothing but question marks surrounding his game. Has he adapted to the college game? Can he be dominant in the low post? Will his knees hold up for a whole season?
Jan 7, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Syracuse Orange forward DaJuan Coleman (32) shoots the ball against Virginia Tech Hokies guard Ben Emelogu (15) and forward Joey Van Zegeren (2) during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Photo Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
I strongly believe the answer to all three questions is yes. From what I’ve seen of him from practice and heard over the summer, Coleman has a bounce in his step he never had before. He’s also been very dominant in the low blocks, vacuuming in offensive rebounds and dunking with authority. If he can translate that into college game situations, he has a shot to go pro.
I know he still has another year of eligibility, but after all the setbacks he’s had and the fact that he’s not getting any younger, I think that this is his best chance of making it to the NBA. Don’t be surprised if he has a solid season and puts his name in the draft. Especially considering Syracuse has 7’2 Paschal Chukwu waiting in the wings.
Malachi Richardson is the other possibility, and he’s a stud. He’s got great size for a shooting guard, a smooth stroke, and has been developing his game around the basket. He’s worked hard on being more than just a shooter and I think that will show this year. He’s an excellent floor spacer, and now that SU actually has multiple shooting threats, it could really open things up for him to have a huge freshman season.
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The one other player that is kind of a wild card is Tyler Lydon. Lydon has been underrated from the moment his recruitment began. Although he will need to put on a bunch of muscle to bang with the bigs, he has a chance to fit a role that is incredibly coveted in the NBA: the stretch four. There just aren’t that many big men that can shoot, rebound, defend, and play above the rim. Lydon fits that bill.
Personally, I think Lydon will require at least one more year to bulk up and get his body ready for the NBA, but nothing is set in stone. Look no further than Jerami Grant to see a guy whose body was clearly not ready for the NBA, but who is carving out a successful career through hard work. So anything is possible.
In the end, I can’t imagine Syracuse basketball going through this season and not having at least one player drafted. I’m saying we have two, with Gbinije being one and then either Coleman or Richardson as the other. I’d love to see both those players come back for another year, but only time will tell.
Check back throughout the week as we preview more Syracuse basketball. We’ll be doing some player profiles, season predictions, and more so check back often to stay current on the latest news and gossip about SU.