Syracuse basketball has interest in NYC 4-star who plays with Melo’s son

According to a recent report, Syracuse basketball coaches are showing interest in 2024 four-star wing Dwayne Pierce from New York City.

College basketball insider Adam Zagoria recently tweeted out that the Orange was among the teams expected to see the 6-foot-5 shooting guard/small forward amid the fall recruiting period.

Per national analysts and journalists, ‘Cuse coaches are checking in with a variety of targets during the fall recruiting period, when college coaches and others can visit high-school prospects in off-campus settings, such as open gyms.

Pierce, ranked in the top 100 within his class according to several recruiting services, is a junior at the famed Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, N.Y.

One of his teammates there is 2025 prospect Kiyan Anthony, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard who is the son of Orange legend Carmelo Anthony. Some experts deem the Royals as a pre-season top-25 squad ahead of the upcoming 2022-23 campaign.

Syracuse basketball is taking a close look at four-star wing Dwayne Pierce.

On the AAU circuit, Pierce runs with the New York City-based NY Renaissance in Nike’s EYBL league. One of his grassroots basketball teammates is 2024 four-star Tyler Betsey, a 6-foot-8 wing who received a ‘Cuse scholarship offer toward the beginning of July.

While Pierce’s recruiting process could certainly have a way to go, he already holds around 20 scholarship offers from a range of high-major programs.

In reviewing various recruiting Web sites, Pierce’s offer sheet includes Georgia Tech, Florida State, George Washington, Illinois, LSU, Nebraska, New Mexico State, Rutgers, St. John’s, Bryant, Creighton, DePaul, Fordham, Memphis, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island and Seton Hall, among others.

As far as 2024 national rankings are concerned, the latest update from Rivals.com places Pierce at No. 70 overall in his class. He is No. 101 nationally, per 247Sports.

When I penned this column, Pierce arrived at No. 85 across the country according to the industry-generated On3 Consensus as well as No. 93 nationwide per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

Recruiting services also rate Pierce in the top 25 at his position and a top-five prospect in the state of New York within the 2024 cycle.

We’ll certainly track his recruitment moving forward. I’d love to see Syracuse basketball coaches ultimately offer a scholarship to Pierce.