On Saturday night, 2024 five-star point guard Elliot Cadeau included Syracuse basketball among his six finalists, and I sincerely hope that businessman and top Syracuse Orange booster Adam Weitsman plans to get in touch with the 6-foot-1 Cadeau.
Cadeau, rated the No. 1 point guard across the country in his class by some recruiting services, has a top six of the ‘Cuse, North Carolina, Louisville, Kansas, Texas Tech and Texas.
Yes, that’s mighty intense competition for the Orange as the Syracuse basketball coaching staff looks to prevail in Cadeau’s recruitment. But the ‘Cuse has been prioritizing him for a while now, offering Cadeau a scholarship nearly a year ago.
Appreciate all the coaches that took their time out to recruit me during this process with that being said I am down to these six schools 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/GhfoaGB4jf
— Elliot Cadeau (@ElliotCadeau) October 29, 2022
Some of his other finalists, on the other hand, offered him more recently. Cadeau has said in several recent interviews that he has developed a strong relationship with Orange coaches, and he appreciates that the ‘Cuse has focused on him in 2024 for a long time.
A five-star point guard with Syracuse basketball in his top six should hear from Adam Weitsman.
Adam Weitsman, the mega Syracuse Orange fan, plans to offer $1 million annually to one five-star football player and one five-star basketball player to represent his companies, according to media reports that came out not too long ago.
I’ve gone on record in saying that Weitsman’s offers could be a game-changer for SU athletics amid the ever-changing collegiate-athletics landscape, due to the prevalence these days of name, image and likeness deals.
Now, since Adam Weitsman would be paying recruits to represent his businesses, these payments can’t be used as forms of inducements for high-school players to commit to a specific college or university, whether that’s SU or another school.
As such, those high-school prospects who ink deals with Weitsman would receive their money whether they elect to play for the Syracuse Orange or not.
Realistically, I can’t imagine a high-school player is going to sign on to represent Weitsman’s companies and not play for SU, because that player would likely have to be in Central New York with some frequency to carry out obligations as part of a NIL deal with Weitsman.
Getting back to Cadeau, he could be a game-changer for Syracuse basketball in the 2024 cycle. He’s a consensus top-15 national prospect in the junior class, and some recruiting services put him in the top 10.
As we’ve detailed in the past, Cadeau himself has already gotten into the NIL business while still in high school (with representation via the New York-based Roc Nation Sports). He is an international star to some degree, having recently competed for Sweden’s U18 national team.
Cadeau is a junior playing for the powerhouse Link Academy in Branson, Mo. He runs in AAU ball with the New York City-based New Heights Lightning in Nike’s EYBL league.
Some reports have suggested that Cadeau may be looking to set up an official visit to Syracuse basketball. He has already taken officials to Louisville, North Carolina and Texas Tech.
If Weitsman hasn’t already done so, I hope he gives Cadeau a call. For a young person, heck for virtually anyone except the ultra-wealthy, $1 million is a ton of coin.
Cadeau thinks highly of the Orange program, and the ‘Cuse is right in the thick of things within his recruiting process after making his top six.
Though a NIL deal from Adam Weitsman can’t be “pay-for-play,” if he were to offer $1 million to Cadeau, given how this young man already feels about Syracuse basketball, it might prove tough for Cadeau to pass that up.