Syracuse Basketball: 2022 class is ranked in the top 10, at least for now

Syracuse basketball coaches, players, recruits and fans alike are eager and hopeful for the Orange to haul in a premier 2022 class. So far, things are going well.

It’s obviously early on in this cycle for national team rankings, but at this juncture the ‘Cuse resides in the top-10 overall, according to the 247Sports Web site. Whether that lasts all depends on which high-school prospects the Orange adds to its two-member 2022 class.

In late June, stellar four-star wing Justin Taylor said that he would suit up for the ‘Cuse, whose coaching staff had made Taylor the squad’s highest priority in the 2022 cycle for a while.

A top-100 prospect out of the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va., Taylor picked Syracuse basketball over North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

A few months earlier, in April, fellow four-star wing Kamari Lands became the first 2022 prospect to give a verbal commitment to the Orange.

Lands, who attends Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, Calif., is a top-25 player nationally in his class and on the verge of attaining five-star status, according to ESPN.

Taylor, who is rated in the top 55 according to Rivals.com, and Lands make a tremendous one-two punch to kick off the ‘Cuse class of 2022.

Syracuse basketball could end up with one of the best 2022 classes nationwide.

I am the first to acknowledge that recruiting rankings have to get taken with a grain of salt. What’s more, these sorts of ratings are subjective and can rapidly change.

With that being said, as of this past Thursday evening, the Orange’s 2022 cycle was ranked No. 7 overall and No. 2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, according to the 247Sports Web site.

The top 10, in order, were North Carolina, Ohio State, Arkansas, Illinois, UCLA, Kansas, Syracuse basketball, LSU, Connecticut and Xavier. These rankings are absolutely going to shift, but it’s still a good start for the ‘Cuse.

Yes, Syracuse basketball prevailed over the Tar Heels for Taylor, so that’s fun. At the same time, four-star center and former Orange target Donovan Clingan recently committed to UConn, while four-star shooting guard and former ‘Cuse prospect Roddy Gayle Jr. committed to Ohio State in November of 2020.

For Syracuse basketball to realistically contend for a top-five class in 2022, or even the No. 1 spot, it likely has to bring in around five recruits. The team has two so far.

I really like where the Orange stands with four-star point guard Quadir Copeland and four-star wing Chris Bunch. If they both commit to the ‘Cuse, that gives the squad four recruits in 2022.

To reach an elite position nationally in this cycle, I believe that Syracuse basketball would have to secure either four-star guard J.J. Starling or four-star power forward Kyle Filipowski as a fifth member of this class.

That’s no easy task for sure, but not completely out of the realm of possibilities.