Former long-time Syracuse basketball recruiting target Chance Westry, who was in the NCAA’s transfer portal after his freshman season at Auburn, has committed to the ‘Cuse, according to multiple media reports on Monday in the early evening.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and On3 national analyst Joe Tipton were among those to first report that the 6-foot-6 guard is committing to the Orange, the second terrific pick-up for head coach Adrian Autry since he replaced Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim last month.
Besides Chance Westry, a few weeks ago, Central New York native J.J. Starling, a freshman guard at Notre Dame, said he would transfer from the Fighting Irish to Syracuse basketball.
In Starling and Westry, Autry and his assistants have now secured commitments from two talented guards, as well as two former long-time ‘Cuse recruiting targets in the 2022 cycle.
Syracuse basketball has scored a major pledge from former four-star target Chance Westry.
Earlier this month, reports surfaced that the Orange coaching staff was showing interest in Chance Westry, who didn’t play much for Auburn in the 2022-23 campaign and is expected to take a redshirt for the most recent stanza due to injury.
I was able to independently confirm that once Westry entered the NCAA’s transfer portal, Syracuse basketball coaches made contact with him.
About a week ago, CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein said on Twitter that those college teams pursuing Chance Westry included Syracuse basketball, St. John’s, Penn State, Creighton and Seton Hall.
Westry, who hails from Harrisburg, Pa., was offered a scholarship by the Orange in the summer of 2019. He did take an official visit to the Hill and had the ‘Cuse in his initial top 10 but ultimately committed to Auburn.
A member of the 2022 recruiting cycle, Chance Westry was a four-star prospect who suited up in his senior year for the AZ Compass Prep School in Chandler, Ariz. As a senior, he helped lead AZ Compass Prep to the prestigious 2022 GEICO Nationals.
Westry is expected to have four years of eligibility remaining. Autry and his staff landing both Chance Westry and J.J. Starling are pivotal as we look ahead to the 2023-24 campaign.
Senior guard Joe Girard III is testing the 2023 NBA Draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility. He is also in the transfer portal. Senior guard Symir Torrence is also in the transfer portal.
And freshman point guard Judah Mintz is testing the 2023 NBA Draft waters while also maintaining his collegiate eligibility.
A lot of credit goes out to Adrian Autry and his assistants for bringing two former 2022 targets, who went elsewhere for a year, to the Hill. In the 2022 class, Starling was a five-star player, and Chance Westry was a consensus four-star, top-50 national prospect.