Syracuse basketball PG recruit from D.C. area ‘near-lock’ to enter rankings

Neiko Mundey, a fast-rising 2026 point guard, was one of several high-school prospects who received a scholarship offer from Syracuse basketball in late August around the time of the team’s annual Elite Camp.

The 6-foot-3 Mundey plays high-school and AAU ball in the talent-rich Washington, D.C., area, a market to which the Orange coaching staff has deep recruiting ties.

Several of the primary recruiting services have, of late, published their first national rankings for the 2026 cycle. The ‘Cuse has offered a handful of players in this class, and several of these targets are nationally ranked at this juncture.

Mundey, as far as I can tell, doesn’t presently reside in the 2026 national ratings. However, a top recruiting analyst said in a recent article that he expects Mundey to be nationally ranked in the near future.

Syracuse basketball target Neiko Mundey is a prolific scorer and dynamic playmaker, experts say.

Rob Cassidy, a top national recruiting analyst at Rivals.com, recently published a piece where he looked at some 2026 prospects who will likely make the cut when Rivals.com expands its national ratings for this cycle from 65 to 100 in the coming months.

"Cassidy featured Mundey in this story, writing, “Sometimes we don’t have the manpower to get in-person eyes on every rankable prospect before the initial rankings release, which typically takes place well before prospects start their sophomore seasons. This was the case with Mundey … On tape, the 6-foot-1 point guard has shown flashes of creative facilitation in addition to his explosive scoring prowess. He’s a near-lock to see his name when the list expands this winter.”"

Mundey, who has said he’s excited by the Orange offer, spent his freshman year at Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. Late last month, word broke on social media that he has transferred for his sophomore season to the Shabach Christian Academy in Landover, Md.

According to his X page and recruiting Web sites, beyond the ‘Cuse, Mundey’s early offer sheet includes Florida State, Towson, Old Dominion and East Carolina. His offer list is bound to expand, particularly since college coaches can’t initiate direct communication with 2026 players until June 15 of next year.

By the way, Colby Giacubeno, a well-respected recruiting analyst and scout in the D.C. and Baltimore corridor, recently shared some insights with me about Mundey, writing that he is “a naturally wired scorer. His passing has improved since he entered high school, but his quick burst, creativeness off the bounce and ability to get where he wants make him exciting to watch anytime the ball is in his hands.”

On the AAU circuit this spring and summer, Mundey was a stand-out performer. In early July, he played a key role in the 15U team of New World, a grassroots basketball program based in the D.C. region, winning a championship on the Adidas 3SSB circuit.

Other 2026 recruits for Syracuse basketball include Anthony Brown of St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr., also of St. Paul VI, four-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. of the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., and four-star small forward Maximo Adams of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Calif.