Syracuse Basketball: Duke predictions removed for 4-star priority big man

In mid-July, we noted in a column that three predictions have been made in Duke’s direction on the 247Sports Web site regarding the recruitment of 2023 four-star big man Joseph Estrella, who holds a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer.

On Tuesday evening, those three projections for the Blue Devils were no longer on the 247Sports Web site. Also on Tuesday night, when I penned this column, I didn’t see any predictions for the 6-foot-11 Estrella on the 247Sports Web site, Rivals.com and the On3 Web site.

What does this mean? Well, that remains to be seen. As we’ve discussed on many occasions, these sorts of prognostications by national analysts and other recruiting insiders can ebb and flow, much like the recruitment of a top-flight prospect such as the fast-rising Estrella.

I wouldn’t sit here and suggest that those Duke projections being removed on the 247Sports Web site mean the ultra-talented power forward/center is going to end up picking the Orange.

Estrella has many other big-time suitors pursuing him. That being said, with the ‘Cuse set to host Estrella on an official visit in the near future, I do feel like Syracuse basketball has to legit chance to prevail in his recruitment.

Syracuse basketball appears to be a strong contender for 4-star big man Joseph Estrella.

A rising senior at the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., Estrella has already taken official visits to Marquette and Tennessee. I’ve come across multiple recent media reports saying he plans to officially visit Iowa and Duke in the coming days.

Estrella’s bio on the 247Sports Web site notes his official visit to Iowa is on July 29, while his trip to Duke is on July 31. SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister recently reported that Estrella will head to the Hill for an official visit with Syracuse basketball from August 4 to August 6.

The Orange coaching staff identified Estrella’s skill-set and potential super early on in his recruiting process, with the ‘Cuse being the first team to offer him a scholarship last August at the Orange’s annual Elite Camp.

I’ve said for a long time now that I remain hopeful the ‘Cuse offering Estrella first will go a long way toward Syracuse basketball winning out for him.

In total, Estrella has obtained around two-dozen offers, with one of his recent scholarship offers arriving from fellow Atlantic Coast Conference squad Louisville.

Amid the Under Armour Association finals that took place last week in the Chicago area, Estrella told Sam Lance of zagsblog.com that the squads recruiting him the hardest at the time were Syracuse basketball, Tennessee, Duke, Iowa, Kansas and UConn.

Estrella, who was stellar this spring and summer for the New England-based Middlesex Magic in the Under Armour Association league, plans to trim his list of contenders soon, per reports, with a commitment announcement likely to come before his senior season at the Brewster Academy gets going.