Syracuse basketball, at least for now, seems to be pursuing two point guards in the 2022 class, and one of them is the ultra-talented and under-rated Quadir Copeland.
At 6-foot-6, his height, length, athleticism, play-making and court vision have tons of Orange fans excited about the possibility of Copeland competing on the Hill down the road, although competition for his services is intense.
And it’s entirely possible that the list of suitors for Copeland could significantly grow. That’s because Copeland recently announced via Twitter that he would transfer from the Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J., to one of the premier prep-school squads in the country, the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Copeland, currently a junior, is primed for big things at the IMG Academy, which in the recently concluded season finished as a top-five group nationwide, according to rankings from MaxPreps.
First of all I want to thank GOD for this opportunity that came my way I want to thank my family for having my back through everything and want to thank @lifecenterhoops for accepting me in a family and having a great season but I will be countinue my high school career with @Img pic.twitter.com/v7ypiuABUk
— QUADIR COPELAND (@unoducat) April 18, 2021
If Copeland shines in his senior year at the IMG Academy, and I believe that he will, that will amount to an abundance of exposure for him. As a result, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if his number of scholarship offers continues to expand.
Syracuse basketball 2022 target Quadir Copeland is headed to the IMG Academy.
At this juncture, the 247Sports Composite rates Copeland as a three-star prospect and No. 160 overall within the 2022 recruiting cycle. I’ve always felt this national ranking proved too low for Copeland.
However, assuming he flourishes at the IMG Academy, I could absolutely foresee Copeland becoming a four-star, top-100 player in his class when all is said and done, and deservedly so.
The Orange offered Copeland last November, and his other offers include from Oregon, Miami, Maryland, Penn State, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s and Siena.
Both his old team, and his new one, have some ‘Cuse connections. For one, former Syracuse basketball star Dion Waiters attended the Life Center Academy.
Orange sophomore center Jesse Edwards, on the other hand, went to the IMG Academy. The same applies to 2021 commit Benny Williams, a five-star forward who will be a freshman for the ‘Cuse in the upcoming stanza.
Perhaps Edwards and Williams can put in a good word about Syracuse basketball to Copeland, who is an excellent prospect and also has a terrific head on his shoulders.
Other than Copeland, it appears that Orange coaches keep on pursuing another exquisite 2022 point guard, four-star J.J. Starling, who is a Central New York native and currently goes to the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.
If Syracuse basketball can pick up either Starling or Copeland, that would amount to a huge recruiting win for the team in its 2022 cycle.