Syracuse Basketball: Buddy Boeheim has more in store in 2020-21

Syracuse basketball guard Buddy Boeheim burst onto the scene as a sophomore, and there’s no reason to think he won’t up the ante in his next stanza.

Syracuse basketball shooting guard Buddy Boeheim had a solid freshman campaign, but what he achieved as a sophomore took some Orange fanatics, myself included, by surprise.

The 6-foot-6 Boeheim showcased a much more complete offensive repertoire during the 2019-20 term. Beyond his natural talent as a 3-point specialist, Boeheim exceled in the mid-range game, and he also displayed a keen sense to drive to the hoop and finish around the rim.

Does Boeheim need to improve in the 2-3 zone? Absolutely. Yet the same is true of virtually everyone on the ‘Cuse roster, as Syracuse struggled to get stops versus its opponents on defense.

Should Boeheim execute strides between his sophomore and junior stints that are on par with his enhancements moving from a freshman to a sophomore, watch out.

In 2019-20, Boeheim averaged 15.3 points per contest, good for a top-12 finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He led the league in 3-point field-goal percentage and 3-point shots made per affair. For these efforts, Boeheim arrived at No. 4 in the voting for the ACC’s Most Improved Player award.

He connected on 40.8 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc a season ago. If Boeheim can increase both percentages just a tad in 2020-21, and bump up his success from the charity stripe, he’s in line for a top-five position in conference scoring, and All-ACC honors are on the table.

With redshirt junior forward Elijah Hughes likely to remain in the NBA Draft, returning Orange starters including Boeheim and rising sophomore guard Joe Girard III will have to help fill the void.

Boeheim deservedly found himself on a list published by CBS Sports’ David Cobb of 15 guys who had break-out campaigns in 2019-20, and whom Cobb thinks that we should keep an eye on in 2020-21.

Players from ACC schools such as North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech are featured in the article, as are guys from high-quality teams across the country like Gonzaga, Oregon, Creighton, Providence, Tennessee, Florida, and Penn State.

In short, Boeheim is in pretty select company. He’s primed for a terrific junior year as Boeheim becomes an upper-classmen and veteran of the ‘Cuse crew.

You’ll notice that I haven’t bothered to mention, until now, who Boeheim’s famous father is. That’s because, for one, it’s a tired tale. And, most importantly, Buddy is nicely carving out his own identity on the Hill.