Gerry McNamara's Syracuse offers 4-star Canadian forward who won FIBA U18 AmeriCup

The new Syracuse basketball staff, led by first-year head coach Gerry McNamara, has offered a scholarship to 2028 four-star forward Settimo Yugu from Canada, he said via his X page.

The 6-foot-9, 185-pound Yugu, who hails from Winnipeg, is a fast-rising prospect in the 2028 class, according to analysts and scouts. He will spend the upcoming 2026-27 season at the powerhouse CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix, which is part of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic").

In 2025-26, CIA Bella Vista finished as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country after going 26-4 overall and winning this past campaign's Chipotle Nationals in Fishers, Ind. Ahmed Nur, a 2027 four-star big man who recently picked up an offer from the Orange, will spend his senior year at CIA Bella Vista.

Within the 2028 cycle, Rivals rates Yugu as four stars and No. 55 overall. Besides the 'Cuse, his full scholarship offer sheet includes teams such as Grand Canyon, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Albany and Long Island University.

The 2028 contact period opened on June 15, enabling the Orange staff and college coaches around the country to begin initiating direct communication with players in this class. Yugu's offer list will likely blow up sooner rather than later.

Syracuse basketball has gotten into the mix for 2028 four-star forward Settimo Yugu.

Earlier this month, Yugu helped lead Canada to its first-ever gold medal in the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, which was held in León, Mexico. Canada defeated the United States, 67-65, in the gold-medal encounter.

In the tournament, Yugu averaged 17.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest while making 50.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from beyond the arc and 61.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Another member of this Canadian squad was 2027 four-star forward Godson Okokoh from Ottawa, who is receiving interest from the SU staff and attends Iowa United Prep in Des Moines, Iowa, which is also a member of the EYBL Scholastic.

This spring and summer on the AAU circuits, Yugu is competing for the 16U team of UPLAY Canada in Nike's EYBL league. He is averaging 13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game while connecting on 61.3 percent from the field.

Syracuse basketball's recruiting activity in the 2028 cycle is picking up steam, as rising high school juniors can now speak directly with college coaches. In recent days, the Orange offered 2028 five-star center Logan Chwastyk out of the Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pa., and SU re-offered 2028 four-star combo guard Carter Smith out of the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia.

The 'Cuse staff is also in pursuit of 2028 five-star wing Isaiah Hamilton, who was a standout at the Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto but will spend the upcoming season at the Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., another EYBL Scholastic school.

Since the 2028 contact period opened on June 15, two other rising juniors who have heard from the new Orange coaching staff are five-star point guard Michai White out of the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., which is also an EYBL Scholastic member, and three-star small forward Enmanuel
Valera out of The Phelps School in Malvern, Pa.

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