Syracuse Basketball: 4-star PG shows off ridiculous athleticism and hops

On many occasions, national analysts and scouts who I’ve talked to note that Deron Rippey Jr., a Syracuse basketball 2026 recruiting target, is both ultra-athletic and lightning-quick.

The 6-foot-2 Rippey, who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., and received an Orange scholarship offer in late August., also recently showed off his impressive jumping ability in a video shared on X by his father, Deron Rippey Sr., who is just a terrific human being that I’ve gotten to know some in recent months.

According to Deron Rippey Sr., on November 10, his son’s high-school squad, the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., held its “Blair Madness” event.

In a video on X, four-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. is shown leaping over his 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-10 teammates, who were standing just in front of a basket, and throwing down a thunderous dunk over them. I get that this isn’t in an actual game, but regardless, it’s a sight to see.

In a separate photo shared on X by his dad, Rippey is shown making a similar dunk after leaping over the Blair Academy’s headmaster. Well done, Deron – that takes some guts!

Syracuse basketball could get a visit from 2026 four-star PG Deron Rippey Jr. at some point.

Rippey is a sophomore poised for big things at Blair, which will square off against top-flight competition in the 2023-24 season that is getting underway around the country.

In the most recent AAU season over the spring and summer months, Rippey earned high marks for his performances as part of the 15U team of the New York City-based New Heights Lightning in Nike’s EYBL league.

More recently, in the first week of October, Rippey was named one of the top standouts at a USA Basketball junior national team minicamp in Colorado Springs, Colo., where dozens of highly rated 2025 and 2026 prospects participated in drills, scrimmages and educational programs.

Deron Rippey Jr., according to several recruiting services, is a top-25 national prospect in the 2026 class, as well as a top-five point guard and a top-five player in New Jersey. He is absolutely a significant candidate for five-star status in this cycle.

I’ve had numerous conversations via phone with his dad in recent months. His father tells me that Rippey is an excellent student and a gym rat. While Rippey’s individual talent is undeniable, he’s focused on facilitating for others, making his teammates better, and doing whatever he can to help Blair win games in 2023-24, his dad has told me.

That’s the kind of young man I’d like to see don an Orange uniform down the line. As far as his recruitment goes, Rippey does have a high interest in Syracuse basketball and may take an unofficial visit to the Hill in the coming months, his father says.

At the same time, his recruiting process likely has a long way to go. College coaches, for one, can’t initiate direct communication with 2026 prospects until June 15 of next year.

Even with those limitations, Rippey’s list of scholarship offers and interest is already extensive – and impressive. Beyond the ‘Cuse, his offer sheet also includes schools such as Old Dominion, Oklahoma State, St. John’s, Fordham, Hofstra, TCU, Long Island University, Binghamton, Mike Hopkins-led Washington, Texas A&M and George Washington.

Rippey’s dad, not too long ago, confirmed to me that additional college squads showing interest in his son include North Carolina, Kentucky, 2023 national champion UConn, Arkansas and Rutgers.

Amid the current fall recruiting period, Syracuse basketball assistant coach Allen Griffin has checked in on Rippey during an open gym at Blair, and it’s possible that the Orange staff could be in attendance for a Blair game in the 2023-24 season, according to Rippey’s dad.