It has proven a roller-coaster week for Syracuse basketball and the sport of collegiate hoops, even though the 2021 NCAA Tournament isn’t even completed yet.
With players allowed an extra season of competition due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the NCAA expected to soon pass a measure whereby all college student-athletes can transfer once with immediate eligibility, Division I men’s basketball is turning into a free-agency explosion.
So far, the Orange has seen three of its players enter into the NCAA’s transfer portal, and they are freshman combo guard Kadary Richmond, redshirt sophomore forward Robert Braswell and redshirt freshman center John Bol Ajak.
Additionally, sophomore forward Quincy Guerrier will reportedly test the NBA Draft waters, although he could certainly return to the Hill, and I’m hopeful that he will.
To help offset the loss of Richmond, the ‘Cuse has received a commitment from Syracuse native and Marquette transfer Symir Torrence, a talented point guard who suited up on the AAU circuit with Joe Girard III and Buddy Boeheim in high school.
Syracuse basketball could still see a handful of guys depart the program.
Looking ahead to next season, sophomore point guard Girard and junior shooting guard Boeheim will be back. So reportedly will sophomore center Jesse Edwards and freshman forward Chaz Owens. Torrence is coming on board, as will 2021 commit Benny Williams, a five-star forward out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
But we’ll have to wait and see about the future of multiple other Orange players.
Senior power forward/center Marek Dolezaj and senior center Bourama Sidibe have to decide if they want to return for another stanza. The buzz is that Dolezaj is likely to move on, while Sidibe could very well come back if he is healthy.
Then there is junior forward Alan Griffin. He led the team in scoring for part of the 2020-21 campaign, but he did struggle a whole lot down the stretch. There are rumblings that he will enter into the transfer portal.
That takes us to freshman forward Woody Newton and freshman center Frank Anselem. A lot of Syracuse basketball fans think that Newton is likely to bolt, since he didn’t play much for the latter part of the recently concluded term. Personally, I hope that Newton returns.
As for Anselem, I honestly have no clue. He has tremendous upside, but I’m not getting much of a clear picture on his status from recent media reports and comments from other pundits. Like Newton, I’m wishing for Anselem to come back.
Head coach Jim Boeheim has said that he expects numerous guys to flee Central New York, so it will come as no surprise if more players announce in the near future that they are transferring out.
That’s why Boeheim and his assistants are actively pursuing other prospects, including Villanova transfer Cole Swider, a terrific junior forward who could make his decision any day now.