Syracuse Basketball: 4-star J.J. Starling details SU, others prioritizing him

Syracuse basketball offered a scholarship to 2022 four-star prospect J.J. Starling, a Central New York native, nearly two years ago. The Orange, according to analysts and other recruiting insiders, remains firmly in the mix for the elite point guard.

However, as we’ve noted on numerous occasions, the competition for the 6-foot-3 Starling is intense and has grown of late. Still, Starling recently said in an interview that he talks to Syracuse basketball coaches more than any other squad, which is encouraging.

Recent offers from blue-blood team Kansas, Maryland and Stanford are concerning as it pertains to the Orange’s chances to win out for Starling, who is a junior at the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.

By extension, he has other offers from groups such as Mike Hopkins-led Washington, Nate Oats-led Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Miami, St. John’s, Connecticut, Marquette, Providence, Penn State and Wake Forest.

A recent tweet from Tipton Edits says that Starling is being recruited the hardest by 11 teams, and they are the ‘Cuse, Auburn, Alabama, Kansas, Northwestern, Miami, Notre Dame, Maryland, Connecticut, Stanford and Penn State.

I hadn’t previously seen media reports about either Northwestern or Auburn getting involved with Starling, which just goes to show all us Orange fanatics out there that the competition for him keeps on expanding.

Syracuse basketball, hopefully, will land a visit from four-star J.J. Starling.

We’ll be continuing to monitor whether Starling ends up electing to take an official or unofficial visit to the Hill. Given that he’s from the CNY region, I’d be a bit surprised if he doesn’t visit the ‘Cuse.

Starling is deemed a top-60 prospect overall in the 2022 class by the majority of recruiting services. He previously starred at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., and competes on the AAU circuit with the Albany City Rocks, a team that counts a bunch of current and former Syracuse basketball players as alumnus.

It’s interesting to read comments from my fellow ‘Cuse fans on social media and in chat rooms about Starling. Some think that Syracuse basketball doesn’t have much of a shot with Starling. Others, conversely, believe that the Orange is in a strong position with Starling.

I’m somewhere in the middle. Starling is a smart young man, and he’s taking his time with his recruiting process. He hasn’t come out with any sort of timeline to trim his list of contenders or make his ultimate choice known.

My gut is that Syracuse basketball has a decent chance with Starling. His connections to CNY are a plus for the ‘Cuse, unless Starling wants to go to college outside of his hometown area.

He would look great in an Orange uniform, and I’m rooting for Starling wherever he eventually ends up.