Syracuse Basketball: What an impeccable, top-tier 2022 class looks like

Syracuse basketball already has one verbal commitment in its 2022 class, elite wing Kamari Lands, and the Orange continues to pursue a range of top-flight targets in this cycle.

Head coach Jim Boeheim, and even ‘Cuse targets themselves, have spoken about the importance of the 2022 class for Syracuse basketball. Lands, a top-25 player in this cycle, got the ball rolling when he recently pledged his services to the Orange.

I’ve said for a long time now that I believe the ‘Cuse will end up with an excellent 2022 class, and I think it would prove fun to detail, position by position, my dream scenario for Syracuse basketball in this cycle.

At point guard, recruiting analysts say that the Orange continues to target four-star J.J. Starling from the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., as well as three-star Quadir Copeland, who is transferring from the Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J., to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Trust me, I’d take either of these stars in a second. But in a perfect-world situation, I’m eyeing four-star Chance Westry, who attends the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif.

A lot of recruiting services list him as a combo guard, but I’ve read articles about Westry that speak to him suiting up at point guard as well. Westry is the goods.

When it comes to shooting guard, there is only one answer, and his name is Justin Taylor. The four-star Taylor, from the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va., is a terrific talent and has spoken highly of the ‘Cuse for a while now.

Syracuse basketball, if things break its way, could own an exquisite 2022 class.

The four-star Lands, out of Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif., covers the small-forward position for Syracuse basketball, although it seems he can also play point guard and shooting guard. Fun.

Now we turn to power forward. With five-star Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, out of Scotland Campus in Scotland, Pa., headed to Tennessee, I’m hoping for four-star Kyle Filipowski at power forward.

Filipowski, who attends the Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Wilbraham, Mass., is ranked as high as No. 31 nationally in the 2022 class by ESPN. He plans to take an official visit to the Hill during the first weekend of June.

Finally, at center, this is an easy one. Four-star Donovan Clingan, from Bristol Central High School in Bristol, Conn., is a high-priority target for the Orange. His first offer came from the ‘Cuse. He would be a game-changer in 2022 if he selected Syracuse basketball.

Naturally, it’s relatively unrealistic to think that the Orange is going to have all of these prospects commit to the ‘Cuse in its 2022 class. But a guy can dream, right?