Syracuse Basketball: 2022 targets make big moves in new national ratings

Syracuse basketball kicked off its 2022 class with the recent verbal commitment of four-star wing Kamari Lands, and the Orange is pursuing a bevy of other top-flight talents in this cycle.

ESPN recently updated its national rankings for the 2022 class of current juniors in high school, so we’re taking a look at where a variety of ‘Cuse targets fall in these new ratings.

Five-star forward Jarace Walker, at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., checks in at No. 8 overall. He is a top-10 prospect according to the majority of recruiting services.

Former Syracuse basketball commit Dior Johnson, a five-star point guard, is No. 15 nationally. Johnson attends Corona Centennial High School in Corona, Calif.

Lands, from Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif., places at No. 25. He is a versatile player who can suit up at small forward, shooting guard and point guard.

Four-star combo guard Zion Cruz, with The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J., is rated No. 29. There hasn’t been a lot of buzz between Cruz and the ‘Cuse, but you never know with this recruiting stuff.

Syracuse basketball is going after multiple highly rated 2022 prospects.

The Orange only recently offered a scholarship to four-star power forward Kyle Filipowski, from the Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Wilbraham, Mass. Filipowski is situated at No. 31.

With Lands on board, I’m not sure that Syracuse basketball is still in the mix for fellow four-star wing Ty Rodgers, who competes for Grand Blanc Community High School in Grand Blanc, Mich. In any event, Rodgers is No. 35.

Four-star center Donovan Clingan, recently named an All-American for his stellar junior year, is No. 44. Clingan plays for Bristol Central High School in Bristol, Conn.

Four-star combo guard Chance Westry, one of my favorite prospects in the 2022 cycle, is No. 52, which seems low, in my opinion. Westry is from the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif.

Finally, four-star point guard J.J. Starling is slotted at No. 54. Starling is a former star at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., who now suits up for the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.

There are three additional Orange prospects in the 2022 class who didn’t make the cut in ESPN’s ranking of the top-60 players for this cycle.

They are four-star wing Justin Taylor at the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va., four-star small forward Chris Bunch out of De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., and three-star point guard Quadir Copeland, who is transferring from the Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J., to the IMG Academy.