Syracuse Basketball: Analysts tout Kamari Lands scoring, defensive agility

Syracuse basketball landed a massive commitment recently in picking up elite 2022 wing Kamari Lands, who is a junior at Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif.

The 6-foot-8 Lands, rated five stars and No. 19 overall in his class according to ESPN, is described by national recruiting analysts as a versatile scorer and defender who is athletic, has a high motor and should thrive in the Orange’s 2-3 zone.

I’ve read reports on Lands, and interviews given by him, that suggest he is able to suit up at point guard, shooting guard and small forward. That kind of flexibility will provide head coach Jim Boeheim and his assistants with a tremendous asset when Lands arrives on the Hill down the road.

As I’ve already detailed of late, the commitment by Lands to the ‘Cuse can help fuel a stellar 2022 cycle for Syracuse basketball. Lands has said that he will recruit other top-flight prospects to Central New York, and Orange coaches continue to pursue a range of other four- and five-star players in this class.

Analysts discuss the skill-set of new Syracuse basketball commit Kamari Lands.

Jerry Meyer, a national analyst and well-known recruiting insider for 247Sports, writes in a recent piece that Lands “has the tools to fit perfectly into Syracuse’s zone on the backline and will be a major wing scoring threat.”

Meyer and other analysts say that Lands boasts terrific length and a solid overall frame. They note that Lands can score at all three levels, continues to enhance his ball-handling and play-making, rebounds well, and can effectively guard multiple positions on defense.

Jason Jordan, director of basketball recruiting for Sports Illustrated, weighed in on Lands’ strengths and weaknesses in this article. Jordan says that in his most recent stanza for Prolific Prep, Lands connected on the “low 40s” as it relates to his 3-point shooting percentage.

“I think he’s an underrated shooter,” Jordan adds.

In terms of honing his craft, Jordan says Lands should continue to work on shooting consistency and ball-handling. Jordan says that Lands will be able to cover “a lot of ground” in the zone given his wingspan, and “he has a knack for playing passing lanes.”

Jordan adds of Lands, “He’s going to be a guy who can impact the lineup in a lot of different ways.”