Things are about to pick up as it pertains to Syracuse basketball's recruiting efforts, and that of its peers in the Atlantic Coast Conference and around the country.
A dead period in Division I men's basketball recruiting ended on August 19. From August 20 until September 8, it is a quiet period. This means that high school prospects can visit college campuses.
Starting on September 9 and running through April 30 of next year, it is a recruiting period, with three dead periods interspersed throughout this timeframe. During the recruiting period, high school players can continue to visit college campuses, but college coaches are also able to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
When this recruiting period opens up in September, commonly referred to as fall recruiting, the Orange staff and other college coaches will check in on targets at high school open gyms while also conducting in-home visits with prospects and their families.
So what can we expect from Syracuse basketball coaches coming up related to prep recruiting?
Unofficial or official visits by 2027 prospects
In the high school senior class, the Orange's priority recruits are five-star point guard Nasir Anderson, four-star wing/forward Ian Condon, five-star wing/forward Moussa Kamissoko, four-star point guard J'Lon Lyons and five-star wing/forward Ahmed Nur. The 'Cuse is also pushing hard for four-star guard Devin Cleveland.
Anderson, Condon, Kamissoko and Nur have yet to release their top schools. Kamissoko's AAU head coach recently told Inside the Loud House that he will make a list cut at some point soon.
Lyons and Cleveland have the Orange in their respective top sevens. Four-star wing Carson Crawford also has Syracuse basketball in his top five.
Nur officially visits next week from August 28 to August 30. Condon officially visits from September 1 to September 2, as Inside the Loud House first reported. Lyons is officially visiting from September 11 to September 13.
Cleveland has said that he wants to visit all his finalists before making a college decision. Crawford wants to officially visit the 'Cuse, a source has told Inside the Loud House.
Kamissoko is expected to take an official visit to SU at some point, multiple sources have told Inside the Loud House. That leaves Anderson, and the Orange staff is working to get him on campus for a visit, too, I've reported.
Earlier this month, first-year head coach Gerry McNamara and his assistants got on the board in 2027 when three-star wing and Albany, N.Y., product Jack Donohue verbally committed to the 'Cuse. In late June, Donohue took an unofficial visit to the Hill, and he's likely to officially visit Syracuse at some point later this year, Inside the Loud House is told.
Orange coaches have offered other 2027 players, and some could emerge as priority targets, depending on how things transpire in the recruitments of the prospects noted above. It's also possible, although not likely, that the SU staff could extend offers to other high school seniors, but it's getting late in this cycle.
So what about 2028 recruits?
As Inside the Loud House reported last weekend, the Orange staff has offered or re-offered a scholarship to more than a dozen guys in the 2028 class, while showing an interest in various others amid the contact period for this cycle opening this past June 15. These players are entering their junior years in high school.
Their recruiting processes aren't as far along as 2027 players, but 2028 targets who have unofficially visited the 'Cuse, some for the team's Elite Camp in past years, include: five-star point guard Tai Bell, five-star wing Kevin Wheatley Jr., four-star power forward Damian Mojica, five-star small forward Will Brunson, four-star guard Rowan Phillips, four-star combo guard Carter Smith and five-star point guard Michai White.
Bell, for one, wants to visit Syracuse basketball again. White has expressed an interest in visiting the Orange, assuming he lands an SU offer at some point. Guard/wing Kingsley Rogers, who has heard from the 'Cuse since June 15, is discussing a visit with the SU staff, Inside the Loud House has learned.
I could see 2028 prospects such as five-star wing Mason Collins, five-star center Logan Chwastyk and four-star wing Isaiah Carter visiting the Orange. They all hold Syracuse basketball offers and play for high school teams in and around the DMV and the Philadelphia area, two key recruiting markets for the 'Cuse.
The Orange is recruiting CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix, which won this past season's high school national title, hard. Three 2028 guys who play for the Bears and have received SU offers are five-star point guard Liam Mitakaro, four-star forward Isaiah Clarke and four-star forward Settimo Yugu. I could see these targets visiting Syracuse.
The 'Cuse coaching staff will extend more offers to 2028 prospects and also get more involved with 2029 players. Stay tuned on that.
Open gyms and in-home visits
It's likely that Syracuse basketball coaches will be out and about during the fall recruiting period to watch targets at open gyms and also conduct in-home visits. Look for that to transpire with the team's 2027 priority recruits and maybe some 2028 prospects.
Lyons' high school head coach recently told Inside the Loud House that he expects the Orange staff to be in for the 2027 four-star point guard at an open gym. Given that the 'Cuse is prioritizing Nur, and has offered three 2028 guys who are also at CIA Bella Vista, I'd be stunned if SU coaches aren't at an open gym for the Bears.
Wheatley's head coach told Inside the Loud House this week that he'll be reaching out to McNamara to see if he and his staff want to check in on this Syracuse basketball recruit. These are just a few examples. The Orange staff will be in for other targets at open gyms, too.
More verbal pledges in 2027?
Donohue won't be the last high school senior to verbally commit to the Orange in the coming months (I think). It's not clear how large a 2027 prep class the 'Cuse will take, since the upcoming season hasn't even begun, and we all know that transfer portal recruiting is a huge focus for college programs these days.
Who might be next to commit? Tough to say. We'll have to see how official visits go for Syracuse's 2027 priority recruits, and what other targets set trips to Central New York. I'll say this: If the Orange doesn't land at least one among Anderson, Condon, Kamissoko, Lyons, Nur and Cleveland, that would be surprising.
Add us as a preferred source on Google