Syracuse Basketball: 4-star recruit Marcus Adams Jr. makes college choice

Marcus Adams Jr., a fast-rising prospect from the west coast who had Syracuse basketball in his final three, verbally committed to Kansas on Tuesday night, per an article from On3 national analyst Joe Tipton.

The 6-foot-8 Adams, a four-star small forward who reportedly has the option available to be a member of either the 2023 or the 2024 class, recently disclosed a final three of the Orange, his hometown squad, UCLA, and 2022 national champion Kansas.

Adams is one of the hottest prospects nationwide, regardless of class designation. He recently vaulted into the top 30 across the country in the 2024 cycle, per 247Sports.

A standout for Narbonne High School in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles, Adams suits up on the AAU circuit for the Los Angeles-based Elev8 Elite, an Adidas-sponsored program.

Syracuse basketball has missed out on four-star small forward Marcus Adams Jr.

The ‘Cuse coaching staff offered a scholarship to Adams in late December. He took an official visit to the Hill in late January. Shortly after that, Marcus Adams Jr. named a top five that included Syracuse basketball, Texas, UCLA, Oregon and Mississippi State.

However, he also said he would keep his recruitment open. And other huge offers then came his way, from teams such as Mike Hopkins-led Washington, Tennessee, Kansas State, Xavier, Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Southern California and UCLA.

Besides his official visit to the Orange, Adams officially visited Kansas not too long ago. He also made an official visit to UCLA from March 3 to March 5.

Adams was potentially eyeing an unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball on Saturday, March 4, for the team’s 2022-23 regular-season finale against Wake Forest at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Marcus Adams Jr. would have likely made that unofficial visit to the ‘Cuse along with his brother, Syracuse basketball 2026 recruit Maximo Adams, and their parents.

But Marcus Adams Jr. ended up taking an official visit to UCLA that weekend instead.

I’m certainly bummed that Adams has picked Kansas rather than the Orange, but I’m of course wishing him well moving forward.

As far as Syracuse basketball recruiting efforts, last month, the ‘Cuse landed its first verbal commitment in the 2023 cycle, from three-star big man William Patterson out of The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J.

In late January, four-star shooting guard Elijah Moore with Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y., became the first 2024 player to verbally commit to the Orange.