Syracuse Basketball: Top rivals for Benny Williams for ACC freshman team

Benny Williams soon will embark on his first season with Syracuse basketball, and Orange fans are eager to see him suit up on the Hill.

The 6-foot-8 forward, a Bowie, Md., native, spent his senior year of high school at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The five-star, top-25 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class shined in his one stanza with the IMG Academy, earning Williams multiple national accolades.

The buzz surrounding the ‘Cuse program as the squad inches closer to the 2021-22 term is that Williams will likely either get a starting nod at forward, or he will prove the first guy off the bench in head coach Jim Boeheim’s rotation.

I could absolutely envision Williams playing 20 to 25 minutes a game, while averaging 8 to 10 points and 4 to 6 rebounds per contest. Multiple national pundits have already gone on record saying that they believe Williams will be one of the best freshmen in the Atlantic Coast Conference during the upcoming campaign.

Syracuse basketball forward Benny Williams could contend for ACC honors.

When media members released their pre-season ACC poll a few days ago, Williams received one vote in the Freshman of the Year category. Personally, I think that he should have received more votes, but Williams will have the opportunity to strut his stuff on the court in a matter of weeks.

Should Williams make a serious run at ACC Freshman of the Year, as well as the league’s All-Freshman team, he will have some big-time competition to overcome.

Leading the way is Duke power forward Paolo Banchero, who was the overwhelming favorite in the pre-season poll to capture ACC Freshman of the Year honors. The five-star Banchero, No. 2 overall in his class per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, went to O’Dea High School in Seattle.

Another Blue Devils freshman to keep an eye on is shooting guard Trevor Keels. The five-star, top-25 Keels attended St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va.

Shooting guard Terquavion Smith of N.C. State could have a special freshman season. A four-star, top-100 prospect in the 2021 class, Smith is out of Farmville Central High School in Farmville, N.C.

Dontrez Styles, a small forward with North Carolina, was a four-star prospect in the 2021 cycle. Ranked No. 65 overall by the 247Sports Composite, he went to Kinston High School in Kinston, N.C.

Another freshman who could compete for ACC honors is Igor Milicic Jr., a guard/forward with Virginia. Milicic, from Rovinj, Croatia, was considered one of the top international prospects when he committed to the Cavaliers, according to media reports.