In no way, shape or form am I surprised that Syracuse basketball priority recruiting target Robert Wright III from Philadelphia has verbally committed to Baylor.
The Bears captured the 2021 NCAA championship. Over the past three seasons, Baylor has proven one of the best, if not the best, college squad nationwide.
Scott Drew, the Bears’ head coach, has done a terrific job in building up the Baylor program, and he’s an ace recruiter. The 6-foot-1 Wright, a 2024 four-star point guard, verbally committed to a top-notch group on Friday.
Sic’Em💚💛 110% committed @BaylorMBB @jaydoefilms pic.twitter.com/ltwXFKdqoy
— Robert O. Wright III (@robertwr1ght) September 9, 2022
What did surprise me, at least a little bit, is the timing of Wright’s commitment announcement. I say this because, as a member of the 2024 cycle, he is entering his junior year of high school, and I assumed (incorrectly) that his recruitment still had a long way to go.
Syracuse basketball has missed out on 2024 four-star point guard Robert Wright III.
I’m a big fan of Wright. He has a great work ethic, is confident yet humble, and has evolved into one of the top prospects in the junior class.
The Orange coaching staff offered a scholarship to Wright this past March. Syracuse basketball coaches checked him out in person during live periods on the most recent grassroots basketball circuit as Wright performed quite well and saw his stock soar as a member of the Philadelphia-based Team Final in Nike’s EYBL league.
In late August, Wright took an unofficial visit to the Hill to compete in the Orange’s annual Elite Camp. A recent article from SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister noted that Wright was eyeing an official visit to the ‘Cuse in the fall or winter months.
However, just a few days ago, Wright made an official visit to Baylor. That trip obviously went well, as he verbally committed to the Bears on Friday, according to his Twitter page.
This recruiting loss for the Orange stings. In numerous interviews ever since Syracuse basketball offered him, Wright would often name the ‘Cuse as one of the teams recruiting him the hardest.
Besides the Orange, his offer sheet included Baylor, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Georgetown, Mississippi State, Bryant, Temple, Penn State, Kansas State, Maryland, Miami, Wake Forest, Seton Hall, VCU, Wichita State, La Salle and Delaware State.
As a sophomore in the 2021-22 campaign, Wright was electric in leading Neumann-Goretti High School in Philadelphia to a state title. Some high-school hoops experts believe that Neumann-Goretti will be nationally rated in pre-season rankings ahead of 2022-23.
Based on his stellar sophomore year, and a fabulous run on the AAU circuit this spring and summer, Wright vaulted into the top 25 according to Rivals.com, and into the top 50 per the industry-generated On3 Consensus.
For my money, Wright will ultimately get rated as a five-star prospect and a top-three point guard in the 2024 class. I’m sad he won’t don a Syracuse basketball uniform down the road, but I know that Robert will thrive at Baylor.