Syracuse Basketball: Five-star Brandon Huntley-Hatfield may opt for NBA

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is high on Syracuse basketball but keeping his options open.

It was only last month that Syracuse basketball offered a scholarship to 2022 five-star power forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, who has the Orange in his top six and has spoken quite positively about the team in numerous interviews that he’s given since the ‘Cuse offered.

Without question, Syracuse basketball has an excellent chance at landing the 6-foot-9 Huntley-Hatfield, a junior at Scotland Campus in Scotland, Pa., who is a consensus top-10 prospect in his class as well as the No. 1 power forward in the 2022 cycle.

That being said, there is stiff competition for him. His half-dozen finalists are the Orange, along with Ole Miss, Kansas, Wake Forest, Tennessee and Auburn.

However, there’s another legitimate contender for Huntley-Hatfield’s services, and it’s not a college team. Unsurprisingly, because of his elite talent, Huntley-Hatfield is also considering the possibility of going directly from high school to the NBA.

Mike Curtis of Syracuse.com recently conducted a Q&A with Huntley-Hatfield, and the ‘Cuse target provides some insight into his recruitment.

"As it pertains to potentially skipping college altogether, Huntley-Hatfield said, “They are in the process of deciding for my class and every class after that to allow high school players to go straight to the NBA. I think that’s on the table for me. I feel like I possibly wouldn’t need that year of college because of where my work ethic is right now and where I think I’m headed, where my family thinks I’m headed. Not going to college is on the table. It’s not out of the equation.”"

Five-star Brandon Huntley-Hatfield discusses Syracuse basketball.

Even though the Orange only offered Huntley-Hatfield not too long ago, and some of his other finalists have been involved for a greater duration of time, he likes what ‘Cuse coaches are saying to him.

When asked by Curtis what makes the Syracuse basketball recruitment of him different than other schools, Huntley-Hatfield had this to say.

"“They all said I’m their guy that they’re recruiting, but it was them, Tennessee and Old Miss that said they won’t recruit anybody at my position. (Syracuse) has been consistent in talking to me right after they offered me, more than some other schools that I haven’t heard from since they offered me.”"

It won’t surprise me at all if Huntley-Hatfield ultimately chooses the Orange. At the same time, it won’t surprise me at all, either, if he forgoes college for a professional path.