Syracuse Basketball: 5-star recruits to battle at USA Basketball minicamp

Multiple Syracuse basketball four-star and five-star recruiting targets in the 2025 and 2026 classes will compete at an upcoming USA Basketball junior national team minicamp in Colorado.

Per an announcement from USA Basketball, 85 high-school prospects will participate in the minicamp from October 6 to October 8 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Invitees were selected by the USA Basketball men’s developmental national team committee, and they will participate in drills and scrimmages, as well as educational programs that focus on NCAA eligibility and life skills.

Of the 85 participants, a handful of them hold either scholarship offers or some level of interest from the Orange. A huge congrats to all of these guys for landing an invite to this prestigious minicamp.

Syracuse basketball recruits will compete in a USA Basketball junior national team minicamp next month.

In the 2025 cycle, minicamp invitees include four-star combo guard Darius Adams from New Jersey, four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony from New York City, four-star big man Nikola Bundalo from Ohio and four-star point guard Jerry Easter II from Ohio.

Adams and Easter were offered by the Orange in the summer of 2022. Anthony picked up a ‘Cuse offer last November. Bundalo landed a Syracuse basketball offer in May.

Recent media reports and social media posts from recruiting experts have spoken to visits being taken or potentially in the works for Adams, Easter and Bundalo, but I haven’t seen the Orange mentioned in any of their recruitments of late.

My sense, and this could change, but I don’t think the ‘Cuse is currently a significant player for any of those three players.

Regarding Anthony, he is a priority target for Syracuse basketball coaches in the junior cycle. He has said numerous times that he will officially visit the Hill at some point.

Turning to the 2026 class, participants will include five-star wing Adam Oumiddoch from Northern Virginia, four-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. from Brooklyn, N.Y., and five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. from the Washington, D.C., area.

In late July, Oumiddoch said in an interview that the Orange is on his radar. The ‘Cuse offered Rippey in late August, while Smith secured a Syracuse basketball offer in May.

These 2026 players likely have a way to go in their respective recruiting processes. I’d love to see the Orange offer Oumiddoch. Rippey’s dad has told me that Rippey may look to take an unofficial visit to the ‘Cuse in the coming months.

The Syracuse basketball coaching staff has strong recruiting ties to Smith’s high school and his AAU program, so I’m hopeful the Orange can emerge as a viable contender for him.