Syracuse basketball recruit from D.C. market, in first rankings, nears top 50

Neiko Mundey, a fast-rising 2026 point guard who received a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer late last month, has arrived inside the top 60 across the country in initial national rankings for his class.

In recent weeks, some of the primary recruiting services have published their first sets of national ratings for the sophomore cycle.

One of those main recruiting Web sites, 247Sports, has ranked the 6-foot-3 Mundey at No. 52 overall, No. 6 at point guard and No. 3 in Maryland within the 2026 class.

The Orange coaching staff offered Mundey a scholarship toward the end of August, around the time that he competed along with numerous other 2025 and 2026 players in the team’s annual Elite Camp.

New Syracuse basketball target Neiko Mundey is a top-60 overall player.

After landing a ‘Cuse offer, Mundey said in several interviews that he was excited that Syracuse basketball coaches have officially entered his recruitment.

Mundey is an emerging prospect to monitor in the talent-rich Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, a region where the Syracuse basketball coaching staff has strong and long-time recruiting ties.

He played at Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md., as a freshman in the 2022-23 season. For his sophomore year in 2023-24, Mundey will suit up for the Shabach Christian Academy in Landover, Md.

In grassroots basketball this spring and summer, Mundey had a breakout AAU season. He helped lead the 15U team of New World in the D.C. area to a championship on the Adidas 3SSB circuit.

According to recruiting services, Mundey’s early offer sheet also includes fellow Atlantic Coast Conference squad Florida State, Towson, Old Dominion and East Carolina. On June 15 of next year, college coaches can begin initiating direct communication with 2026 players, and I expect Mundey’s list of offers to significantly expand then, if not sooner.

Besides his No. 52 national ranking from 247Sports, Mundey is a “near-lock” to enter expanded 2026 ratings from Rivals.com when that recruiting service provides a refresh this winter, according to Rivals.com national analyst Rob Cassidy.

Colby Giacubeno, a top recruiting analyst and scout in the D.C. and Baltimore corridor, recently said that Mundey 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.”

Mundey is one of at least six 2026 prospects who secured scholarship offers from the Orange to date. Other Syracuse basketball targets in this class 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., four-star small forward Maximo Adams of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., and shooting guard/small forward Prince-Alexander Moody of Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md., who is rated the No. 1 player in Maryland within this cycle.