Syracuse basketball looks like formidable contender for fast-rising big man

Syracuse basketball is one of multiple college squads recruiting 2023 big man Joseph Estrella the hardest, according to a report by SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister.

The report by McAllister is a subscriber-exclusive, so I can only share what’s available for public viewing, and that’s the headline, which reads, “Syracuse Among Schools Recruiting Joseph Estrella the Hardest.”

To that end, if you are a fan of Orange recruiting news, I would highly recommend subscribing to McAllister’s publication. He’s simply the best.

The 6-foot-10 Estrella, a power forward/center, received a scholarship offer from the ‘Cuse coaching staff at the team’s annual Elite Camp last August.

He’s spoken highly of the Syracuse basketball program in several interviews that I’ve come across of late, and I recently noted Estrella’s recruitment in a story about 2023 players whom the Orange is targeting.

Syracuse basketball is in hot pursuit of talented big man Joseph Estrella.

A junior out of South Portland High School in South Portland, Maine, Estrella until recently appeared to be a hidden gem in the 2023 cycle.

But his recruiting process has begun to grow on a national scale. According to his Twitter page, one of Estrella’s more recent offers has arrived from Big East Conference member Xavier.

Other squads that have offered him include Boston College, Iowa, Providence, Tennessee and Harvard. As we detailed in a column not too long ago, Duke, Kansas, Notre Dame and Marquette are also reportedly showing interest in Estrella.

On the grassroots basketball circuit, he plays for the Middlesex Magic, which is an excellent AAU group in the New England region.

I haven’t seen anything yet about Estrella potentially making an official visit to the Hill, but given his regular communication with the ‘Cuse, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up traveling to Central New York at some point down the line. We’ll continue to monitor that.

Estrella, who has put up some massive numbers during games throughout the 2021-22 term for South Portland High School, isn’t presently included in the national rankings for the 2023 class by the primary recruiting services, at least as far as I can tell.

But don’t let that fool you. This young man can ball, and he would represent an ideal fit for the Orange system, including the team’s zone defense.

The New England Recruiting Report, as we’ve noted, has Estrella as the No. 1 player in the state of Maine and the No. 10 prospect in New England within the 2023 cycle.