In the aftermath of Syracuse basketball falling to Houston in the Sweet 16 on Saturday evening, attention immediately turned to what the Orange roster might look like next season.
Given that NCAA officials are expected to pass a measure that would allow Division I basketball players to transfer once without having to sit out a year, the upcoming off-season should prove frenetic for the ‘Cuse and other teams around the country.
Head coach Jim Boeheim has already said that he thinks the Orange will see a sizable roster shake-up ahead of the 2021-22 term, with some players leaving and the coaching staff eyeing the transfer portal for possible pick-ups.
The squad’s two seniors, power forward/center Marek Dolezaj and center Bourama Sidibe, have to decide whether they will come back for an extra stanza allowed by the NCAA amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Some players may elect to test the NBA Draft waters, whether it’s junior forward Alan Griffin or sophomore forward Quincy Guerrier. Griffin, though, struggled mightily in the 2021 Big Dance, and I believe that Guerrier would have a monster junior season if he returns to the Hill.
Syracuse basketball could have quite a different line-up in 2021-22.
The ‘Cuse currently has 13 scholarship players, those two seniors and incoming 2021 commit Benny Williams, a five-star forward. There is a lot of chatter online about the potential of Boeheim’s older son, Jimmy Boeheim, suiting up for the Orange. Boeheim, a forward, has competed for Cornell.
Junior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim has garnered some NBA Draft buzz, but I expect him to return. Syracuse basketball chat rooms are filled with talk about the future of freshman combo guard Kadary Richmond and sophomore point guard Joe Girard III. I imagine that at least one of them will be back for 2021-22.
Redshirt sophomore forward Robert Braswell played really well at the end of the term, with increased minutes, so I think he will return. But speculation is also pretty extensive regarding the possibility of freshman forward Woody Newton transferring out.
I don’t believe that sophomore center Jesse Edwards is going anywhere. The same goes for freshman center Frank Anselem. However, if Sidibe stays on for another stanza, would that sway Edwards, Anselem or redshirt freshman center John Bol Ajak to depart the Hill? Perhaps.
We’ll obviously monitor this closely in the coming weeks. It’s an interesting time for the sport, and the NCAA’s expected new transfer policy is going to considerably shake things up, for Syracuse basketball and its peers nationwide.