Syracuse Basketball: Mike Hopkins in fray for high-priority 4-star target

Chris Bunch, a 2022 four-star wing, is a top priority for Syracuse basketball in this cycle, perhaps even more so now after fellow 2022 four-star wing Kamari Lands announced over this past weekend that he was de-committing from the Orange.

The 6-foot-7 Bunch continues to make positive moves in the 2022 national rankings, and his list of scholarship offers keeps on growing. To that end, he recently said via Twitter that he has received a new offer from Mike Hopkins-led Washington.

Ever since Hopkins, the long-time ‘Cuse assistant coach, left the Hill to take the helm of the Huskies, his Pac-12 Conference squad and the Orange have gone toe to toe in several recruiting battles over high-school prospects.

The latest recruiting bout between these two programs could involve Bunch, although how interested he is in Washington remains to be seen. I’ve read some media reports of late that suggest Bunch may trim his list of contenders in the near future, so let’s see how the Huskies factor into his recruiting process moving forward.

Mikes Hopkins’ Washington team has offered a high-priority Syracuse basketball prospect.

Bunch is a rising senior who recently decided to transfer from De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., to the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, where he will suit up for one of the premier prep-school groups across the country.

Earlier this summer, Bunch took an official visit to the Hill, and he has also made a trip to Rutgers. He holds more than 20 scholarship offers, from teams including Alabama, Illinois, Minnesota, Florida State, Southern California, Arkansas, Ole Miss, San Diego State, Seton Hall, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Rutgers, Creighton, Iowa State, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Massachusetts.

The 247Sports recruiting service rates Bunch as a top-60 player nationally within the 2022 cycle, and I also noticed that he recently entered into the top-100 overall according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

I’m not a betting man, but when Bunch trims his list, I’d be shocked if the Orange doesn’t make the cut. Personally, with Lands having moved on, I think that the ‘Cuse is in a strong position with Bunch.

To date, I haven’t seen any predictions from national analysts and recruiting insiders as it pertains to a college destination for Bunch, however, Syracuse basketball does have an excellent chance to win out for him.