Syracuse Basketball: 4-star Justin Taylor earns a ton of praise from analyst

Syracuse basketball is expected to welcome 2022 high-priority target Justin Taylor to the Hill for an official visit next month, according to several recent reports.

In the meantime, the 6-foot-6 wing is showcasing his skills on the AAU circuit. Taylor, a junior who attends the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va., competes on the AAU circuit for the Washington, D.C.-based Team Takeover.

This past weekend, Team Takeover suited up at the KC Classic in Kansas City, Mo. You can see how Taylor and his teammates fared at this event by clicking here.

Travis Branham, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, recently penned a column with colleague Eric Bossi in which they detailed some prospects who played well at the KC Classic.

Branham first said of Taylor that he “is a very skilled, consistent and solid wing prospect that will provide a reliable piece for whatever future program lands him.”

Syracuse basketball 2022 target Justin Taylor is one of the best wings in his class.

Taylor, a top-100 player in the 2022 cycle, has a bunch of offers from high-majors. He hasn’t come out with any sort of list of finalists yet, although my gut tells me that the Orange will remain in the running for the foreseeable future.

Recruiting guru Jake Weingarten, the founder of Stockrisers.com, recently tweeted that Taylor is eyeing visits to Virginia Tech on June 3, North Carolina on June 5 and 6, and then to the Orange on June 9 and 10. Other visits could come soon, too.

Besides Syracuse basketball, the Tar Heels and the Hokies, other squads that have been mentioned regarding Taylor include Virginia and Indiana, recruiting insiders say. He also recently picked up an offer from Florida.

"Branham said of Taylor, “Offensively, he is skilled and smart and his biggest strength relies in his ability to make shots from three and he has shown just that this weekend in Kansas City. He’s connected on jumpers both off the catch and pull and is also capable of attacking closeouts to score off the bounce.”"

We’ve noted before Taylor’s prowess at shooting from all around the court, but he’s also athletic and versatile. Taylor can likely suit up at shooting guard and small forward. He’s a good defender and rebounder, and I believe that he would thrive in Central New York.

The ‘Cuse 2022 class already has one commitment in four-star wing Kamari Lands, who is a top-25 prospect in this cycle and a junior at Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif.

Nothing is ever a guarantee in the recruiting arena, but Syracuse basketball seems to have an excellent chance at securing Taylor, who would make a fantastic addition to the team’s 2022 class.