Syracuse Basketball: More ACC suitors enter fray for 4-star J.J. Starling

Central New York native J.J. Starling, a 2022 four-star combo guard and high-priority Syracuse basketball target, may not prove ready to make a decision on his collegiate destination for a while longer, as he’s said in interviews that he’s taking his time with his recruiting process.

The 6-foot-3 Starling, a junior at the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., has shined in AAU competition for the Albany City Rocks in recent months, his national rankings are soaring, and his list of scholarship offers continues to grow.

To that end, Starling said on Instagram that he recently picked up an offer from fellow Atlantic Coast Conference team N.C. State, according to a tweet from Mike McAllister, the publisher of SyracuseOnSI.

Whether the Wolfpack emerges as a significant contender for this consensus top-50 player in the 2022 cycle remains to be seen. Starling, by the way, is likely on his way toward five-star status in his class, some national analysts and other recruiting insiders have said of late.

Syracuse basketball is in solid shape with four-star guard J.J. Starling.

Starling, who previously starred at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., has taken an official visit to the Hill. He’s also visited Maryland, Connecticut and Alabama.

As we noted in a recent column, 247Sports national basketball director Eric Bossi has said that the Orange, Duke and Stanford are three squads that stand out to him in Starling’s recruitment.

I’ve noted in the past that the Blue Devils offer is concerning, particularly if Starling ultimately opts to take an official visit to Duke, which is faring quite well on the recruiting trail recently in the 2022 cycle.

In recent months, there have been quite a few comments in Syracuse basketball chat rooms that speak to Starling having interest in North Carolina. Should the Tar Heels offer him, I imagine they would become a serious contender.

Starling has numerous other high-level offers, from teams like Kansas, Ohio State, Connecticut and Notre Dame. To date, I haven’t seen any analyst predictions for him, and again, Starling is taking his time with his recruiting process.

Do I think that the Orange is firmly in the mix for Starling? I do. But Duke, Stanford, North Carolina if it offers, and others are also vying for this elite 2022 guard. In the end, I hope that Starling elects to return to CNY to play collegiate ball.