Tough-to-read recruitment for Syracuse basketball target Micawber Etienne
By Neil Adler
Syracuse basketball may prove in a solid position with 2021 four-star center Micawber Etienne, but so are many other suitors.
Syracuse basketball has made 2021 four-star center Micawber Etienne a high-priority target in that recruiting cycle for some time now, and the Orange absolutely appears in the running for the top-50 prospect.
However, the 6-foot-10 Etienne, who recently transferred from Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn., to the powerhouse prep-school program at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., has an abundance of impressive scholarship offers.
Among those other offers are from Kansas, Louisville, Ohio State, Connecticut, Miami, Georgetown, Seton Hall, UCLA, Iowa, Providence, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Xavier, St. John’s and Wake Forest.
In past media reports, Etienne has noted his strong relationship with Syracuse basketball assistant coach Gerry McNamara, he seems to speak with ‘Cuse 2022 commit Dior Johnson on a consistent basis, and Etienne acknowledges the appeal of suiting up in the hoops-talented Atlantic Coast Conference.
Yet with so many offers, Rivals.com national analyst Eric Bossi recently included Etienne in his article on “10 of the toughest-to-read recruitments” within the class of 2021.
"Here is Bossi’s write-up on the Syracuse basketball target. “Etienne is a guy that I thought would have become even more desired during the summer. Then again, with seemingly a million offers, it is hard to be even more wanted than he is. Etienne is skilled and has great size and is one of the most personable kids in 2021. He genuinely sounds like he wants to go to any school you ask him about, and he has done a lot of visits. A bulk of his suitors are regional, so places like Syracuse, St. John’s, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Providence and UConn that have hosted him unofficially could be in good shape. But, if he goes out of region, Illinois had him in for an official visit and could be one to watch.”"
Syracuse basketball should stay in the mix for 2021 four-star center Micawber Etienne, but competition for him is fierce.
Illinois is an interesting one. The Fighting Illini are trending in a positive direction under head coach Brad Underwood, and the squad had a stellar 2019-20 campaign.
Illinois rising sophomore Kofi Cockburn, a one-time Orange target, is returning to school after considering the NBA Draft. The 7-foot center, in 2019-20, received Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year honors, and Cockburn’s development at Illinois is something that I’m sure Etienne is watching.
One publisher on Rivals.com has forecast Etienne to Illinois, but otherwise there are no projections for him on that recruiting Web site, as well as 247Sports.
If and when Etienne eventually comes out with, say, a top-10 list of finalists, it wouldn’t surprise me if Syracuse basketball makes the cut. However, anything beyond that is, as Bossi said, quite challenging to decipher.