Syracuse Basketball: 4-star recruits way high up in top-25 team rankings

The 2023-24 season in high-school hoops is basically here, and there are a lot of Syracuse basketball recruiting targets to monitor in the upcoming term.

On a national level, an Orange commit and a bevy of recruits will be suiting up for teams in preseason top-25 rankings, and many of these squads will be vying for state titles, and possibly a national championship, in 2023-24.

Recently, writer Zach Shugan posted his SBLive/Sports Illustrated preseason top 25 in high-school basketball, and I’m counting at least seven groups that have recruiting ties to the ‘Cuse.

Let’s review Syracuse basketball recruits whose teams are in a preseason top 25.

No. 5, St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va.
Two players on this stacked 2023-24 roster at St. Paul VI are 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. and 2026 point guard Anthony Brown. The 6-foot-3 Smith, offered by the Orange in May, has said he has an interest in visiting the ‘Cuse at some point. The 6-foot-1 Brown picked up a Syracuse basketball offer in late August, around the time that he attended the team’s annual Elite Camp.

No. 6, Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y.
The Crusaders compete in the loaded 10-team National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”). The talented Long Island Lutheran backcourt, in 2023-24, includes Orange 2025 priority targets Kiyan Anthony, a four-star shooting guard, and Nigel James, a four-star point guard.

The 6-foot-5 Anthony was offered by Syracuse basketball last November and recently took an official visit to the Hill. The 6-foot James, offered by the ‘Cuse in late August, went on an official visit to the Orange in mid-September.

No. 7, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
As a senior, Syracuse basketball 2024 four-star commit Donnie Freeman will play for IMG, which is also a NIBC member. The 6-foot-9 Freeman, a top-flight power forward in the 2024 cycle, verbally committed to the Orange in May.

No. 8, AZ Compass Prep School in Chandler, Ariz.
Last month, 2026 four-star guard Imahri Wooten took an unofficial visit to Central New York and secured an offer from the ‘Cuse. The 6-foot-5 Wooten, who hails from Troy, N.Y., is a sophomore at AZ Compass Prep, another NIBC member.

No. 15, Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C.
A standout for Myers Park is 2025 four-star forward Sadiq White. The 6-foot-8 White was offered by Syracuse basketball coaches in late April. He went on an unofficial visit to the Orange in mid-September.

No. 20, Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C.
A star junior at Gonzaga is 2025 four-star combo guard Derek Dixon. He landed an offer from the ‘Cuse coaching staff on June 15 of this year. About a month ago, the 6-foot-4 Dixon took an official visit to the Syracuse basketball program.

No. 24, Richmond Heights High School in Richmond Heights, Ohio
In late August, the Orange offered 2025 four-star shooting guard Dorian Jones. The 6-foot-4 Jones, who per reports has an interest in visiting the ‘Cuse at some point, is a big-time player for Richmond Heights, which went undefeated a season ago.