Syracuse Basketball: Orange is aiming for big-time things in the 2024 cycle

Syracuse basketball and other squads around the country are kicking into high gear as it relates to their recruiting efforts with the 2024 recruiting class, and the Orange already has doled out some huge scholarship offers.

Of course, offering a top-flight prospect is one thing, but landing that said elite player is another thing altogether. Still, I credit the ‘Cuse coaching staff for seemingly aiming sky-high in 2024.

According to media reports and recruiting services, it appears that Syracuse basketball has offered at least a half-dozen guys in this cycle, while showing interest so far in a few others.

What’s more, on June 15 of this year, I believe that Orange coaches and their peers nationwide will be able to start making direct contact with 2024 high-school prospects, and that certainly could lead to more offers handed out by the ‘Cuse.

Let’s examine some Syracuse basketball recruits in 2024 at this juncture.

Since players in the 2024 class only recently finished up their sophomore years of high school or prep school, their recruiting processes could have a long way to go.

However, by my count, the Orange’s offers and interest include seven prospects in the top-75 nationally, six in the top-35 overall, and four in the top-10 across the country.

I’m basing my data here on 2024 national ratings from the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, by the way.

We just reported earlier this week that Syracuse basketball has offered five-star Ian Jackson, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y.

Jackson is No. 2 nationally, per the 247Sports Composite, and he was recently named the national sophomore of the year for the 2021-22 campaign, according to MaxPreps.

At No. 6 nationwide is five-star Elliot Cadeau, who attends Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J. The 6-foot-1 Cadeau, offered by the ‘Cuse last November, is rated the No. 1 point guard in this class, according to multiple recruiting services.

Several reports and interviews given by Cadeau of late point to the Orange coaching staff being in regular communication for him.

This past October, Syracuse basketball offered five-star power forward Derik Queen, who checks in at No. 7 overall. The 6-foot-9 Queen, who hails from Baltimore, attends the powerhouse Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla.

At the Orange’s annual Elite Camp this past August, the ‘Cuse offered four-star power forward Donnie Freeman. The 6-foot-9 Freeman, from St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., is No. 28 nationally, per the composite.

A fast-riser in the 2024 cycle is four-star center Yves Missi, who was offered by Syracuse basketball last December and is No. 32 across the country.

The 6-foot-11 Missi goes to the West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Md.

Two other Orange recruits who are likely to enter the 2024 national rankings sooner rather than later are 6-foot-7 guard/forward Damarius Owens and 6-foot-1 point guard Robert Wright III.

Earlier this month, the ‘Cuse offered Owens, who is from Upstate New York and attends the Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio.

Wright, meanwhile, received an Orange offer in March and is one of the stars for Neumann-Goretti High School in Philadelphia.

Last but not least, the ‘Cuse coaching staff has reportedly shown interest in 6-foot-5 wing Vyctorius Miller, a five-star player who is No. 9 overall per the composite.

Miller most recently suited up for Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, Calif., but new reports say he is transferring to the juggernaut AZ Compass Prep School in Chandler, Ariz.