With Syracuse basketball coaches having offered a scholarship to fast-rising 2023 guard Mike Williams in recent days, it got me thinking about what exactly is going on with the Orange’s current recruiting efforts as it pertains to guards in the rising-senior class.
The 6-foot-4 Mike Williams, a four-star prospect per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, attends the Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Md., which is a member of the loaded National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”).
On the AAU circuit, Williams helped recently lead the Baltimore-based Team Thrill out of the Under Armour Association league to the UAA championship in the main division.
Although Williams is a relatively new ‘Cuse recruit, the team has seemingly been focused on three other 2023 guards lately as well.
Let’s review 2023 guards whom Syracuse basketball is pursuing.
Four-star Reid Ducharme, a shooting guard/small forward, was offered by the Orange about a year ago, and the ‘Cuse has apparently been prioritizing him ever since in this cycle.
The 6-foot-6 Ducharme, who took an official visit to the Hill in June, is a rising senior at the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., and has suited up for the Boston Amateur Basketball Club on the Nike EYBL tour.
Reports suggest that he’s likely to make a decision before the start of his senior season in New Hampshire, and by most accounts, his unofficial top three are Syracuse basketball, Xavier and Penn State.
That brings us to 2023 three-star combo guard Elijah Gertrude, who was offered by the Orange toward the beginning of July. The 6-foot-3 Gertrude is with the Albany City Rocks in Nike’s EYBL league and attends Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, N.J.
His recruitment has blown up recently, with his strong play in grassroots basketball. He has said that he’d like to go on a visit to the ‘Cuse at some point in the future.
Last but not least is four-star point guard Elmarko Jackson, whose stock has absolutely soared this spring and summer as he’s competed at a high level for the Delaware-based WE R1 in the Under Armour Association league.
The 6-foot-4 Jackson got an Orange offer in April, and I’ve come across at least one media report in the past that suggested he might want to visit the ‘Cuse.
He recently said on social media that he will trim his list of contenders in the coming weeks. His offer sheet has ballooned, and he didn’t include Syracuse basketball in a recent interview when he named the eight teams recruiting him the hardest.
Then again, in another recent piece, the rising senior at the South Kent School in South Kent, Conn., said that Orange head coach Jim Boeheim has watched him a lot during live periods on the AAU circuit.
Okay. So it appears that Williams is a point guard or at least a combo guard. Ducharme is a shooting guard/wing. Gertrude is a combo guard. And Jackson is an elite point guard.
Does Syracuse basketball offering Williams suggest that maybe the Orange doesn’t feel it is going to win out for Jackson? Perhaps. But a lot of factors come into play here, including other suitors for these ‘Cuse 2023 targets, the team’s existing roster, NIL, the list goes on and on.
This is simply my own personal take, but my sense is that Jackson is going to be a tough get for Syracuse basketball. The Orange seems to be in the mix for Ducharme, while I could envision the ‘Cuse ultimately landing either Williams or Gertrude.
If we’re just talking about guards in the rising-senior class, I’d be ecstatic if the Orange landed Ducharme and Williams or Gertrude. I’m not feeling warm and fuzzy about the squad’s chances with Jackson.