Syracuse Basketball: Pre-Summer Player Rankings for 2017-2018 Season
By Josh Peelman
1. . Sophomore. Syracuse Orange. TYUS BATTLE - SG/SF
This kid excites me because he just looks like a star. Every time I watch film from this year of Tyus Battle I come away impressed. He reminds me a lot of Dwayne Wade in his prime and Dion Waiters now. Both are pro players capable of getting to the lane whenever they want. In addition, like those two, Battle can hit fadeaway jumpers and make it look like its nothing.
His pro potential on the offensive end is clear. Maybe that’s why it bothered me that he wasn’t showing up in mock NBA drafts a month or so ago.
On defense, Battle has good length and stays with his man well. The 2-3 zone definitely hides some of his defensive deficiencies, but its clear he can steal the ball well and rebound well from the wing. He is still developing skills passing the ball, but that will come with time.
Battle, like Tyler Lydon before him, had a great freshman year, and will have a lot of expectations on him to be the star of the team in his sophomore year. Unlike Lydon, who differed to others to take up the scoring load a lot, I think Battle can live up to the hype and expectations.
His skill and talent make him dangerous to any team who faces the Orange next season. If the Orange find a third or fourth consistent scorer outside of Taurean Thompson and himself, then Battle will face less double teams, and therefore probably excel next year. If not, it may be a rough year for Battle.
Next: Syracuse Basketball: Player Grades for the 2016-2017 Season
Any player can have a tough season if they are constantly being focused on, even if they are a star. However, I think Battle will surprise us, and someone will undoubtedly fill the void that was created when the graduates went off their own ways. If they do find a way, the Orange and Battle will most likely have a great year even with all the new faces in town.