Syracuse Basketball: 2024 class stacks up high vs. other recent SU cycles

Syracuse basketball currently has two verbal commitments in its 2024 class, and it’s hovering around No. 10 nationally, according to various recruiting services.

Elijah Moore, a four-star shooting guard from New York City, verbally committed to the Orange in late January. He’s a top-60 national prospect, per several recruiting Web sites.

Donnie Freeman, a four-star power forward from Washington, D.C., verbally pledged to the ‘Cuse in May. He’s in the top 20 to the top 40 overall in the rising-senior cycle, according to various recruiting services.

At present, the Orange’s other main target in the 2024 class is five-star guard Jalil Bethea out of the Philadelphia area. Bethea is down to a final five of Syracuse basketball, Alabama, Kansas, Miami and Villanova.

We’ll have to wait and see if the ‘Cuse is able to secure a verbal commitment from Bethea. But as it stands, first-year head coach Adrian Autry and his assistants have done a stellar job retaining Moore after Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim retired this past March, as well as picking up Freeman.

So where does the Orange’s present 2024 cycle stack up against other ‘Cuse recruiting classes since the team moved from the Big East Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference during the 2013-14 stanza?

Let’s review the Syracuse basketball team recruiting rankings in recent years.

I’ve pasted below the Orange’s recruiting cycles from 2013, the squad’s first year in the ACC, until 2024. These ratings are courtesy of the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking and Rivals.com.

A couple of things to mention here. The ‘Cuse class rankings below are not apples-to-apples comparisons. The Orange, from season to season, has had varying numbers of high-school commits, and the number of commits, and their individual rankings, factor into the overall team ratings. Also, the recruiting services don’t provide full team rankings for every season.

That being said, it’s pretty clear, at least to me anyway, that the Syracuse basketball 2024 class stacks up favorably with other ‘Cuse cycles since the team headed to the ACC. If Bethea were to verbally commit to the Orange, the 2024 class could ultimately be the highest-ranked cycle for Syracuse basketball since the ‘Cuse became an ACC member.

For myself and all other Orange hoops fanatics, what Autry & Co. are doing on the recruiting trail is highly, highly encouraging.

Syracuse Basketball Class Rankings (2013 Until Present)

2024 class
Number of high-school commits: 2
247Sports Composite: No. 11
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 7
Rivals.com: No. 8

2023 class
Number of high-school commits: 1
247Sports Composite: NA
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 143
Rivals.com: NA

2022 class
Number of high-school commits: 6
247Sports Composite: No. 21
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 20
Rivals.com: No. 52 (this is where it’s listed, but I think this is off)

2021 class
Number of high-school commits: 1
247Sports Composite: No. 79
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 18
Rivals.com: No. 31

2020 class
Number of high-school commits: 3
247Sports Composite: No. 41
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 31
Rivals.com: No. 51

2019 class
Number of high-school commits: 5
247Sports Composite: No. 32
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 37
Rivals.com: No. 43

2018 class
Number of high-school commits: 3
247Sports Composite: No. 44
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 50
Rivals.com: No. 40

2017 class
Number of high-school commits: 4
247Sports Composite: No. 38
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 52
Rivals.com: Not available

2016 class
Number of high-school commits: 3
247Sports Composite: No. 18
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 7
Rivals.com: Not available

2015 class
Number of high-school commits: 3
247Sports Composite: No. 8
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 10
Rivals.com: Not available

2014 class
Number of high-school commits: 2
247Sports Composite: No. 38
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 8
Rivals.com: Not available

2013 class
Number of high-school commits: 5
247Sports Composite: No. 8
On3 Industry Ranking: Not available
Rivals.com: Not available