Syracuse Basketball: Forget ratings, 2020 class is exquisitely constructed
By Neil Adler
Syracuse basketball boasts a 2020 recruiting class that is better than most people think.
It’s understandable when some Syracuse basketball fans lament what they perceive as a lack of top-flight recruits heading to the Hill, particularly in recent years as the Orange has suffered through a bevy of sub-par regular seasons.
The ‘Cuse likely won’t ever bring in as many elite prospects as recruiting powerhouses such as Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina, or even strong programs in the next tier, whether we’re talking about an Arizona, a Gonzaga, a Louisville or a Michigan State.
While it’s easy to have a fascination with recruiting rankings, and I write articles that reference such rankings on a frequent basis, I’ll often say that you should take these ratings with the proverbial grain of salt.
To that end, Syracuse’s 2020 class, which features a trio of promising freshmen and a highly regarded transfer, may not possess an ultra-stellar ranking as compared to other programs across the country, but I wouldn’t sleep on this recruiting cycle for the Orange, either.
First and foremost, if we want to get into a discussion about the ‘Cuse 2020 class as it pertains to ratings from the primary recruiting services, Syracuse is actually faring pretty well.
Leading the way, rankings-wise, is four-star wing Kadary Richmond, a top-100 player out of the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H.
Four-star power forward Woody Newton is a top-125 prospect from Mt. Zion Prep in Lanham, Md.
The most recent commit, Frank Anselem, is a four-star center who places in the top 150 nationally. Anselem, who attended Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif., reclassified from the 2021 class to the 2020 class, and that dropped his overall rating.
Prior to reclassifying, Anselem found himself in the top 50 to top 75 within the 2021 class, according to most recruiting Web sites.
Finally, Alan Griffin is a rising junior wing who has transferred to the Orange from Illinois. Hopefully, he will receive a waiver from the NCAA to immediately compete, and Griffin is universally regarded as a top-10 sit-out transfer among those presently eligible to suit up in the 2021-22 stanza.
The Syracuse basketball 2020 recruiting class will surprise a lot of folks.
With this as context, I would argue, rather emphatically, that the ‘Cuse 2020 class is talented, intriguing and under-rated.
But throwing the rankings out the window, most importantly this 2020 class for Syracuse is versatile and admirably composed. These prospects, at least on paper, should fit quite well into the Orange system, which focuses on athleticism and length, among other attributes, to anchor the ‘Cuse 2-3 zone.
Take, for instance, the 6-foot-5 Richmond. With his height and ball-handling skills, he should have the ability to play point guard, off-guard and even small forward. Richmond is a competent shooter and excels at driving to the hoop.
Then there’s the 6-foot-5 Griffin, an extremely efficient scorer who can suit up at shooting guard or small forward, similar to Elijah Hughes. Griffin connected on more than 40 percent from downtown a term ago, and he’s an excellent rebounder.
Newton, at 6-foot-8, is likely to see time at power forward or small forward, depending on what other guys are on the court with him. Newton is athletic, long and has a terrific shooting touch from beyond the arc.
Last but not least, the 6-foot-10 Anselem is ridiculously athletic and oozing with potential. He’s going to play most of his minutes at center, although his quickness could enable him to get some run at power forward, too.
Assuming that Griffin is eligible, these are four guys who can easily play all five positions. They range in size from 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-10, which is perfect for the zone. They’re all agile, athletic and long, with multiple solid shooters.
Sure, none of them are top-25 recruits. From my perspective, however, that’s not a detriment by any stretch of the imagination. Syracuse coaches did a commendable job building their 2020 class, no matter what the naysayers opine.