Syracuse basketball appears firmly in mix for fast-rising 4-star, top-3 center

Four-star big man Ugonna Kingsley has seen his 2023 national rankings and his list of scholarship offers take off of late, and Syracuse basketball seems to be in consistent communication with the talented 7-foot center, according to a media report.

The Orange coaching staff offered a scholarship to Kingsley this past February, per reports. His offer sheet, reports and recruiting services suggest, has grown to nearly 20 at this juncture.

Besides the ‘Cuse, Kingsley has hauled in offers from teams such as UConn, Kansas, Maryland, Florida, Mike Hopkins-led Washington, LSU, Ohio State, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Providence, Georgetown, Texas Tech, Washington State, Clemson, Seton Hall, California and Iowa.

Others, like Kentucky, Oregon, Baylor and Duke, are reportedly showing interest in Kingsley, who in 2021-22 suited up for the undefeated Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn.

Syracuse basketball faces stiff competition for four-star big man Ugonna Kingsley.

On the AAU circuit, Kingsley is a member of the Team New England Basketball Club as well as the NY Jayhawks.

Not too long ago, Kingsley earned a lot of high praise from national recruiting analysts and scouts while playing for the NY Jayhawks at the inaugural Mayhem in Maryland, a grassroots basketball event that took place in Baltimore.

Top expert Adam Finkelstein, the director of scouting at 247Sports, recently said that Kingsley could emerge as the best rim protector nationwide in his cycle.

Not all of the primary recruiting services presently have Kingsley in their 2023 national rankings, but that will surely change. And for those that do, including ESPN and On3, they rate Kingsley as a top-40 overall player in his class, as well as a top-three center in the 2023 cycle.

A recent piece by Zach Smart on zagsblog.com noted that Syracuse basketball is among the teams that have recruited Kingsley “at a consistent pace.”

In Smart’s article, he spoke with Putnam Science Academy associate head coach Josh Scraba, who said in part that Orange assistant coach Gerry McNamara has “done a commendable job recruiting” Kingsley.

Analysts and scouts whose comments I’ve come across in recent weeks describe Kingsley as having tremendous timing to both block shots and alter them. He has a stellar wingspan and runs well for a big man of his size.

While experts laud him for his defensive instincts and skills, Kingsley continues to work on his offensive game, and he has shown in recent AAU events that he can operate effectively in the paint on offense.

It’s encouraging to see that McNamara and the Syracuse basketball coaching staff appear to be in regular communication with Kingsley and his camp.

Of course, though, with his 2023 rankings and his number of offers both climbing, the ‘Cuse will have its hands full trying to prevail in Ugonna Kingsley’s recruitment.