Syracuse Basketball: Benny Williams an elite freshman, per Jon Rothstein

The 2021 recruiting cycle is filled with an abundance of talented high-school players who are preparing for their freshmen seasons in college, and Syracuse basketball newbie Benny Williams is among them, according to more than one national pundit.

In recent months, I’ve seen a handful of comments from analysts, commentators and journalists that speak to the 6-foot-8 Williams being primed for a special first year on the Hill.

Only time with tell, although Williams enters the hoops scene in Central New York as one of the highest-rated recruits in recent Orange program history.

The Bowie, Md., native, who spent his senior season at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., was a consensus four-star, top-40 player across the country in the 2021 class. Some recruiting services rated him as five stars and a top-25 prospect nationally.

Syracuse basketball forward Benny Williams should get sizable run as a freshman.

As we look ahead to the 2021-22 stanza, it’s certainly conceivable that Williams could end up as one of the premier freshmen in college basketball when all is said and done. But he’s got hefty competition in that arena.

To that end, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein recently published a piece where he listed 25 impact freshmen for 2021-22. Williams made the cut.

"Here’s what Rothstein had to say about Williams. “Jim Boeheim loves long athletes and he’s got one that’s tailor made for the 2-3 zone in Williams. While he still needs to add weight to his slender frame, this 6-8 forward should instantly be a factor for the Orange, who return their starting backcourt – Joe Girard and Buddy Boeheim – from last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16.”"

Others who are on Rothstein’s list include Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis; Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin and Trevor Keels of Duke; Georgetown’s Aminu Mohammed; Auburn’s Jabari Smith; Kentucky’s TyTy Washington; Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren of Memphis; and Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler.

Chandler, a five-star point guard, held a scholarship offer from Syracuse basketball, among many others, before choosing to suit up for the Volunteers.

Switching back to Williams, as we noted in a recent column, Rothstein projects that he will be in the starting rotation for the ‘Cuse in 2021-22, with the other starting forward being senior Cole Swider, a transfer from Villanova.

I’m excited to see Williams begin his tenure with Syracuse basketball. I believe that he will shine in his first term on the Hill, and Williams could contend for freshmen-based awards doled out by the Atlantic Coast Conference.