A national recruiting analyst says that the stock of 2022 four-star wing Chris Bunch is on the rise, and that Syracuse basketball is one of five teams recruiting him the hardest.
The 6-foot-7 Bunch, a junior at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., is a top-100 prospect and a top-20 small forward in his class, according to 247Sports.
Per Eric Bossi, the national basketball director for 247Sports, the college squads recruiting Bunch the hardest are “Florida State, Oregon, Seton Hall, Syracuse, and USC.”
Interestingly enough, the ‘Cuse recently picked up a verbal commitment from another 2022 four-star wing in Kamari Lands, who is a junior at Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif.
The 6-foot-8 Lands, rated No. 25 overall in this cycle according to ESPN, can reportedly suit up at small forward, shooting guard and point guard.
So even though there is positional overlap between Lands and Bunch, it does appear that Syracuse basketball coaches continue to pursue Bunch, at least per Bossi.
The 247Sports national analyst writes that Bunch is competing for the Oklahoma-based Team Griffin Basketball on the AAU circuit this summer.
Syracuse basketball four-star target Chris Bunch has numerous other offers.
"Bossi says that “Bunch has been one of the more consistent shooters I have watched during the spring. A smooth wing prospect with terrific positional size, Bunch’s jumper off the catch has been nothing else but feathery and efficient. His ability to nail the three is a translatable skillset which is why he will be in the conversation for a rankings jump.”"
At this juncture, Bunch holds more than two-dozen offers from a range of high-major groups, according to his bio on the Verbal Commits Web site.
Two relatively recent offers have arrived from Southeastern Conference members Arkansas and Ole Miss. Other offers include from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Rutgers, Creighton, Iowa State, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Massachusetts.
The 247Sports recruiting service has Bunch as No. 88 nationally and No. 17 at small forward. The 247Sports Composite places him as No. 118 overall and No. 32 at his position.
ESPN rates Bunch as four stars, while Rivals.com has him as three stars and No. 126 across the country in the 2022 class.