Syracuse Basketball: Talented big-man target recruitment picks up steam

Last October, we penned a column about Syracuse basketball reportedly showing interest in Caleb Middleton, an under-rated big man in the 2024 class.

Already regarded by some recruiting insiders as one of the top prospects in the New England region, Middleton appears to be positioned well for his recruitment to blow up on a national scale.

For one, Pro Insight director of scouting Andrew Slater recently sent out a tweet about the 6-foot-10 Middleton. In his tweet, Slater noted that Middleton’s scholarship offers to date have arrived from teams such as Iowa, DePaul, Bryant, Siena and Florida International University.

Additionally, according to Slater and other analysts, as well as media reports and recruiting services, Middleton has garnered interest from a range of squads, such as the Orange, Virginia, Connecticut, Maryland, Marquette, Penn State, Indiana, Boston College, Georgia, Seton Hall, Oregon, UMass and Northeastern.

Those are some really solid lists of offers and interest for Middleton, who is preparing for his sophomore year at the New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H. On the AAU circuit, he runs with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club.

Syracuse basketball is showing interest in a top-flight 2024 player.

Middleton likely has a long way to go with his recruitment, but he certainly is attracting attention from a bunch of big-time college teams. I’m hopeful that the ‘Cuse evolves into a significant contender for him.

Based on various comments that I’ve read about him from recruiting analysts, Middleton possesses a lot of really positive traits on the court.

For one, he has good ball-handling skills, especially for a prospect of his height and length. Middleton is athletic and physical, he shoots proficiently from the perimeter and in the mid-range, he has a soft touch, he finishes with precision around the basket, he’s a solid passer, he has strong court vision, and he defends and rebounds well.

We’ll have to watch and see how his recruiting process plays out, but it would seem that Middleton would prove a tremendous fit within the Syracuse basketball system, and particularly the team’s 2-3 zone.

The Orange coaching staff recently doled out its first scholarship offer in the 2024 cycle, to Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9 wing. Freeman is a sophomore at the St. John’s College High School in the District of Columbia, and he competes in AAU events with the D.C.-based Team Takeover.