Syracuse Basketball: ‘Cuse gets into mix for talented big man from Finland

As we’ve detailed on numerous occasions lately, Syracuse basketball coaches have made around 15 scholarship offers to a variety of four-star and five-star prospects in the 2024 class.

And not too long ago, the Orange picked up its first 2024 pledge, as four-star shooting guard Elijah Moore from New York City gave a verbal commitment to the ‘Cuse.

Recently, Syracuse basketball coaches made an offer to a big man from overseas. Per his Twitter page, Okku Federiko has received a scholarship offer from the Orange coaching staff.

According to social media posts, Federiko is a 6-foot-9 forward in the 2024 cycle. He attends the Omnia Basketball Academy in Espoo, Finland.

Syracuse basketball recently entered the recruitment of 2024 big man Okku Federiko.

Per his Twitter account, Federiko also holds offers from Pittsburgh and South Carolina. By the way, his brother, Federiko Federiko, is a sophomore center at Pitt.

At this juncture, I’m not seeing any 2024 rankings for Okku Federiko, but as far as I can tell, he is a promising player. Last month, the Twitter account RealScoutBasketball wrote in a tweet that Federiko “is a very intriguing prospect, he can run the floor handle, shoot, and has plenty of room for growth.”

A recent article published on si.com said that Federiko suited up in the Finnish U19 league, and he averaged 19.3 points and 11 rebounds per contest, which is solid.

If we’re looking at the Orange’s recruiting targets in 2024, there are several other forwards/centers in the junior cycle who hold ‘Cuse offers and are being pursued by Syracuse basketball.

One is four-star Thomas Sorber out of Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia, who took an unofficial visit to the Hill last August to compete in the Orange’s annual Elite Camp.

Not too long ago, the Syracuse basketball coaching staff was in attendance as Sorber battled another ‘Cuse 2024 recruit, four-star guard Jalil Bethea.

The Orange coaching staff also recently re-entered the recruitment of 2024 four-star power forward Donnie Freeman from St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. The ‘Cuse offered him in August of 2021, when Freeman attended the team’s Elite Camp.

Last but certainly not least, Syracuse basketball is in the hunt for four-star small forward Marcus Adams Jr., who has the option to be in either the 2023 or the 2024 class.

Adams, who goes to Nathaniel Narbonne High School in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles, recently took an official visit to the Orange.

Getting back to Federiko, we’ll certainly continue to track his recruitment moving forward. It’s exciting that Syracuse basketball has offered him.