Former Syracuse basketball 5-star commits have tumbled in some ratings

The Syracuse basketball 2022 cycle is comprised of a strong five-member class that ranks in the top-25 nationally, according to some recruiting services.

And we’ve detailed in numerous columns of late how Orange coaches are pursuing a four-star, top-10 guard who will make an official visit to the Hill later this month.

If this elite prospect, former Pittsburgh pledge Judah Mintz, were to choose the ‘Cuse, Syracuse basketball would likely see its 2022 cycle vault into the top-15 to top-20 across the country.

Regardless, lately I’ve seen a contingent of Orange fans on social media and in chat rooms lament about what could have been with the team’s 2022 class.

That is, they’re bummed about the decisions of 2022 point guard Dior Johnson and 2022 small forward Kamari Lands to back out of their verbal commitments to the ‘Cuse.

Johnson, out of the Southern California Academy in Los Angeles, has signed with Oregon, while Lands, who attends Hillcrest Prep in Gilbert, Ariz., is verbally committed to Louisville.

Let’s look at some recently updated rankings for a pair of former Syracuse basketball commits.

Since I’ve come across some Orange fans expressing their frustration about the team ultimately missing out on both Johnson and Lands, two stellar high-school players who would have helped the ‘Cuse contend for top-10 national status in 2022, I figured I would pass along some of the latest ratings for these two prospects.

On Tuesday, Rivals.com refreshed its 2022 rankings. Johnson fell 15 placements, to No. 33 overall. He is four stars, per Rivals.com. The four-star Lands, meanwhile, dropped 29 spots to No. 81 nationally, according to Rivals.com.

For what it’s worth, Syracuse basketball 2022 signee Chris Bunch, a four-star small forward from the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, is now No. 80, says Rivals.com. Bunch inched up one spot.

When ESPN unveiled its latest ratings of the top-100 players in 2022, Johnson fell to four stars and No. 28 overall. Lands is No. 39, while Bunch somewhat surprisingly isn’t ranked at all by ESPN.

Another primary recruiting service, 247Sports, recently refreshed its 2022 rankings. Johnson dropped to four stars and No. 24 nationwide. Bunch, at No. 55, is rated higher than Lands, who checks in at No. 67.

However, in perhaps the most important metric, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Johnson remains at five stars and No. 23 across the country at the time of this writing.

Lands was No. 47, according to the composite ratings, while Bunch is just inside the top 100, at No. 96.

This article is, in no way, shape, or form, meant to negatively criticize Johnson or Lands. Ever since each of them de-committed from Syracuse basketball, I’ve wished them well.

I simply found it interesting where some of their national rankings currently reside, and I merely wanted to share this information with other Orange fans who show an interest in recruiting ratings.