Syracuse Basketball: 5-star Jarace Walker has pro option among 7 finalists

Syracuse basketball isn’t going to land 2022 five-star power forward Jarace Walker, and it’s possible that no college team ultimately will.

The 6-foot-8 Walker, a consensus top-15 player across the country in this cycle, has revealed his seven finalists, according to a tweet from recruiting guru Joseph Tipton of On3.

Walker has a top seven of Alabama, Texas, Auburn, Houston, Maryland, LSU and the NBA’s G League. He received a scholarship offer from the Orange in June of 2020, although the word in chat rooms is that the ‘Cuse hadn’t been a strong contender for Walker in quite some time.

Now that name, image and likeness opportunities are available to college student-athletes, it’s a brave new world in the recruiting arena.

Simultaneously, big-time professional deals are getting offered out to top-flight prospects in high school, whether it’s the G League, the recently formed Overtime Elite or the National Basketball League, which is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Five-star Jarace Walker, who holds a Syracuse basketball offer, has trimmed his list.

According to recruiting services, Walker has obtained around 20 offers from a range of high-major teams. He is the No. 1 power forward in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite.

Earlier this summer, he took official visits to Alabama, Auburn, Houston and Ohio State. I figured those four teams would make the cut, although the Buckeyes have been eliminated.

Walker is heading into his senior year at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. There are two projections for Walker in the direction of Alabama on Rivals.com, but a prediction for him to Houston recently got taken down on the 247Sports Web site.

Regarding his list of seven finalists, Auburn and LSU are each receiving buzz for another 2022 player who has an offer from the Orange.

Multiple predictions have come in from national analysts for LSU as it pertains to four-star guard Chance Westry, who has Syracuse basketball among his top-10 finalists and will spend his senior year at Hillcrest Prep in Gilbert, Ariz.

Auburn, meanwhile, is receiving projections from several recruiting insiders for 2022 five-star guard Zion Cruz, who attends The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J.

Not too long ago, Auburn picked up a verbal commitment from 2022 four-star point guard Tre Donaldson, but it’s not clear if this development will influence Cruz’s eventual decision on a collegiate destination.