Exploring the future of Syracuse Basketball post-Oshae Brissett, and how a small-ball lineup with an unlimited range can buffer its finite experience.
After officially announcing the end to his memorable two years with the Syracuse basketball squad, Oshae Brissett revealed that he will keep his name in the NBA draft on Tuesday afternoon.
The 6-foot-8, stretch forward compiled averages of over 12 points and seven rebounds in his sophomore year under Jim Boeheim despite serious dips in shooting percentages. During his freshman season, the forward made 33 percent of his attempts from long range, a number that would drop to 27 in year two.
Despite that, the Ontario native has always been able to save his best work for when it mattered most, last year being the tournament, and this year being the NBA Combine in Chicago.
Two weeks ago, Brissett’s name was absent from many noteworthy mock drafts, Two weeks later, the narrative has yet to change, mostly because there haven’t been many updated mock drafts since the combine, where Brissett showed out in both the individual shooting and endurance drills, and during scrimmage play.
It’ll be interesting to see where Brissett lands in a month from now. What we do know for sure, however, is that the talented 20-year-old will most likely be signed in a matter of days after the draft if his name isn’t picked in the annual field of 60.
What Will SU’s Lineup Look Like in 2019?
Losing Brissett means losing size and versatility on both ends of the floor. However, we saw SU flourish in 2018 with a small ball lineup, and the 2019 roster can continue that without Brissett in Central New York.
Most including myself are ready to see Jalen Carey assume starting point guard duties out of the gate, and see if that’ll shake up in the months leading up to conference play depending on the play of Joe Girard III.
Carey played over 30 minutes just twice last season against UConn and Oregon during the 2K Empire Classic. In a loss to UConn, Carey played 36 minutes shot 9-of-14 from the floor (64.3%), and hit seven of his eight free throws, finishing with 26, seven rebounds, and three steals.
The next day, Carey logged 36 minutes in a loss to Oregon, made four of his eight attempts from the field, hit five of his six attempts from the free throw line, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds, and three steals.
Carey was shaky in the turnover department during his freshman year but was also asked for much more production than expected during the early stages of his collegiate career due to an early-season injury to Frank Howard. Going into year two, there is a strong possibility that the New Jersey product breaks out and helps another Jim Boeheim team overperform with all odds against them.
As for his backcourt partner, it’s hard to not picture Buddy Boeheim handling duties at the
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shooting guard position, especially after an unprecedented second-half of his freshman campaign. After an abysmal first half of the season, Boeheim’s consistent shooting helped Syracuse get into the tournament.
In the four games leading up to SU’s first-round matchup against Baylor, Boeheim scored a combined 57 points against the eventual National Champions Virginia, Clemson, Pittsburgh, and then No. 2 Duke.
At the three, it is all but certain that Boeheim will continue to deploy Elijah Hughes regularly, whose 14 points a game on 42 percent shooting and 37 percent from long range kept SU’s tournament aspirations alive all season. Much like Carey and Boeheim, the 2019-2020 season will be Hughes’ second season playing for the Orange and will have the remainder of the summer to master the 2-3 zone and discover new ways to pick apart defenses on the offensive end.
As for power forward, Quincy Guerrier would fill the void Brissett is leaving at SU. The Montreal native is the most polished prospect nobody is talking about and has the tools on both ends of the floor to single-handily take over games. As things stand, the forward stands at 6-foot-7 and 204 pounds, similar to Brissett who after two more years of growing and bulking stands at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds. Guerrier’s versatility could buffer the loss of Brissett if his skills are maximized in his freshman year and potentially what comes after it.
At the five, SU will most likely deploy Marek Dolezaj, a rising Junior forward whose offensive consistency and gritty defensive play led him to anchor multiple SU small-ball lineups in 2018. With Bourama Sidibe, Jesse Edwards, and John Bol Ajak, Boeheim will be able to quickly substitute SU’s smaller forwards for taller ones if needed.
With Carey, Boeheim, Hughes, Guerrier, and Dolezaj, Syracuse has five players who can shoot at will, especially from beyond the arc. With Girard and Brycen Goodine expected to add reliable three-point shooting off the bench as well in their freshman seasons, this team’s three-point shooting prowess could stun many in 2019.
The Orange have plenty of scorers joining them in 2019. If their shooting strokes bode well throughout the season, they may just squeeze their way into the tournament once again, and prove that small-ball lineups with a knack for the long ball can outweigh experience, even when matched up against college basketball’s finest programs.