Syracuse Basketball: Recruiting behemoths get into mix for 5-star target

Syracuse basketball has interest in 2024 five-star power forward Derik Queen from Baltimore, although a bunch of big-time college teams is vying for his services.

In a recent tweet by college basketball insider Adam Zagoria, he mentioned several squads that have offered the 6-foot-8 Queen, and two groups that I hadn’t previously seen mentioned are Alabama and Illinois.

These are two huge offers, in my humble opinion. Both Alabama and Illinois were top-10 teams a season ago, and each has done well on the recruiting trail.

The Crimson Tide, for one, is led by former Buffalo head coach Nate Oats. Only a few days ago, Alabama picked up a verbal commitment from 2022 five-star point guard Jaden Bradley, who is a top-20 player in this cycle and attends the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

His IMG Academy teammate, 2022 five-star power forward Jarace Walker, has the Crimson Tide in his top seven. Walker, who holds an Orange offer, has gotten some buzz in the direction of Alabama from national analysts in recent months.

Syracuse basketball faces hefty competition for five-star forward Derik Queen.

Illinois, meanwhile, has on its roster in the upcoming campaign a former ‘Cuse recruiting target. Talented center Kofi Cockburn held a Syracuse basketball offer as a four-star, top-50 prospect in the 2019 class, but he opted for the Fighting Illini.

Queen, as a member of the 2024 cycle, likely has a long way to go in his recruiting process, but Illinois and Alabama are definitely suitors to watch.

According to media reports, interviews given by Queen and recruiting services, his other offers include from Indiana, Auburn, DePaul, Maryland, Texas, Virginia Tech, Georgetown, LSU and Arizona State.

Additionally, Queen has received interest from teams such as Syracuse basketball, Florida State and Pittsburgh, among others.

A consensus five-star player in 2024, he is also a top-five overall prospect across the country in this cycle. Queen had a phenomenal freshman stanza at the Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore but is now a sophomore at the powerhouse Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla.

Some analysts and other experts have compared Queen’s stellar mid-range game to that of Orange legend Carmelo Anthony, who led Syracuse basketball to its only NCAA championship in 2003.