Syracuse Basketball: Top scout’s evaluation of 4-star big Joseph Estrella

Joseph Estrella, a four-star big man in the 2023 class, plans to announce his collegiate decision in early September, and Syracuse basketball coaches are putting on a full-court press for him.

While the 6-foot-11 power forward/center has more than two-dozen scholarship offers, fueled by his stellar performances in recent months on the AAU circuit, the sense among recruiting insiders is that Estrella’s recruitment is going to come down to a battle between the Orange, Tennessee and Iowa.

The four schools that Joseph Estrella has officially visited include the three that I just mentioned, along with Marquette. At this juncture, as we noted a few days ago, Tennessee has picked up a bunch of analyst predictions in Estrella’s recruitment.

I wouldn’t pretend to know the ultimate outcome here, as I’m not in Estrella’s inner circle. Plus, as far as I can tell, Joseph Estrella and the people in his camp are keeping his recruiting process extremely tight-lipped. But the ‘Cuse, hopefully, is still in the mix for him.

Syracuse basketball four-star recruit Joseph Estrella possesses an intriguing skill-set.

Estrella was a star this spring and summer in grassroots basketball for the New England-based Middlesex Magic in the Under Armour Association league.

He will spend his upcoming senior stanza at the powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. Orange coaches offered Estrella his first college scholarship about a year ago at the team’s annual Elite Camp, and I’m hoping that sort of loyalty will pay off for the ‘Cuse.

Last month, 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein posted an evaluation of Joseph Estrella under his bio on this recruiting service’s Web site.

As a 6-foot-11 big man, Estrella possesses “good hands and terrific natural touch,” and he is an instinctive passer with strong court vision, Finkelstein says.

The 247Sports scout says that Estrella is solid athletically, runs the court well and boasts good footwork, although he is “still in the process of building up his body, so there are times when the speed or physicality of the game can get the better of him.”

Finkelstein writes that the Syracuse basketball recruiting target has a good ability to score with either hand, but Estrella needs to “develop a higher release point on his jump hook.”

Multiple national analysts and scouts, including Finkelstein, have said lately that Estrella is a more than credible shooter from beyond the arc, but his shooting percentage from deep isn’t overly high – yet.

Experts have also said that Joseph Estrella rebounds and blocks shots effectively and with precision, but his skill-sets in these arenas can get further enhanced as the young man continues to physically get stronger.

"Finkelstein summed up his evaluation this way. “Overall, Estrella projects as an inside-out big who is skilled, smart, and fundamentally sound, but still needs to keep filling out his frame, getting stronger, and developing along the same trajectory he’s been ascending on in recent years.”"