Syracuse Basketball: Two new 2022 commits fit SU to a tee, analyst says

Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim is jazzed up about his five-member 2022 class, as are many Orange fanatics. And numerous national analysts and recruiting insiders have said of late that this cycle for the ‘Cuse is a really, really good one.

The two latest 2022 prospects to give verbal commitments to the Orange are four-star wing Chris Bunch and three-star power forward Maliq Brown.

In a recent article, Rivals.com national analyst Dan McDonald said that Brown and Bunch should mesh in well within the Syracuse basketball system. More on that in a second.

The 6-foot-7 Bunch, a senior at the powerhouse Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, selected the ‘Cuse over other finalists Washington, which is led by Mike Hopkins, and Rutgers.

The 6-foot-9 Brown, meanwhile, picked the Orange over four other finalists, which were Georgetown, Penn State, Virginia Tech and N.C. State. He is a senior at the Blue Ridge School in St. George, Va.

Syracuse basketball has a strongly balanced 2022 recruiting class.

With Brown and Bunch on board, that gives the ‘Cuse a power forward and a small forward. In this cycle, the Orange also has verbal commitments from four-star point guard Quadir Copeland, four-star shooting guard Justin Taylor and three-star power forward/center Peter Carey.

Therefore, Syracuse basketball has one player at each position in the 2022 class, which I’m sure is one reason why Boeheim is excited about this cycle’s future potential.

The two most recent commits, Bunch and Brown, are ideally suited for the ‘Cuse program, according to Rivals.com’s McDonald.

"McDonald said of Bunch, “The 6-foot-7 wing is the perfect fit to play on the back line of Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone with his length and athleticism. He’s also a very reliable three-point shooter.”As far as Brown is concerned, here’s what McDonald had to say. “The Virginia native again fits the long and athletic type of forwards and centers that Boeheim recruits for the back line of his 2-3 zone. As Brown fills out his 6-foot-9 frame he should be able to anchor the paint for the Orange as he’s a strong rebounder and rim protector.”"

Ever since Bunch committed to round out the ‘Cuse five-player 2022 class, I’ve read a lot of comments from my fellow Syracuse basketball fans on social media and in chat rooms.

Like me, a lot of Orange fans are exceptionally happy with the diverse skill-sets of this cycle, although some ‘Cuse fans are disappointed that Syracuse basketball didn’t land a five-star, top-25 prospect in 2022.

That’s fair. For me, though, I’d rather the Orange pick up five 2022 players who are likely to stick around for a few years on the Hill and grow into the ‘Cuse system.

In recent seasons, veteran rosters have won national titles. With its 2022 class, Syracuse basketball could have such a line-up down the line.