The rumor mill was churning about a possible commitment by four-star transfer center Luke Wilson to Syracuse basketball, as he had been on a visit to the program early this week.
The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Wilson, who is from Augusta, Ga., then announced his pledge to the Orange on Tuesday afternoon via his social media pages. A huge congrats and welcome from 'Cuse Nation to Luke!
NEWS: App State big man Luke Wilson has announced he’s committed to Syracuse
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 21, 2026
The 6-foot-9 sophomore spent the last three seasons at App State, playing two, and was named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Sun Belt this season.
He averaged 10.7PPG, 8.3RPG and 1.8BPG in… pic.twitter.com/LXEYpjoXS4
Wilson, a redshirt sophomore at Sun Belt Conference member Appalachian State, is known for his defensive prowess. In that mold, he should fit well into head coach Gerry McNamara's system, as GMac wants guys on his 2026-27 roster who get after it defensively, are gritty and tough, and who give their maximum effort on every single play on the court.
With his commitment, Wilson becomes the third center on the Orange's roster for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, joining Abdramane Siby, a 2026 prospect from Mali, and three-star transfer power forward/center Tasman Goodrick, a junior from McNamara's former school, Siena.
Wilson had recently visited UCLA, while other college programs showing an interest in him included Georgia, Mississippi State, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Purdue, Seton Hall and Georgetown, among others.
— Luke Wilson (@Bucketluke2023) April 21, 2026
Syracuse basketball should be set at the center spot.
The transfer portal opened on April 7 and runs through Tuesday, April 21. This is the Orange's roster as it currently stands:
•Ryan Moesch, a 2026 four-star point guard from Central New York
•Mark Morano Mahmutovic, a 2026 four-star wing from Slovenia
•Abdramane Siby, a 2026 center from Mali
•Freshman guard Kiyan Anthony
•Freshman forward Sadiq White Jr.
•Freshman wing Calvin Russell III
•Sophomore guard Noah Lobdell
•Sophomore guard Aiden Tobiason, a four-star transfer from Temple
•Junior guard Garwey Dual, a four-star transfer from McNeese State
•Sophomore guard Gavin Doty, a four-star transfer from Siena
•Junior power forward/center Tasman Goodrick, a three-star transfer from Siena
•Redshirt sophomore center Luke Wilson, a four-star transfer from Appalachian State
McNamara and his staff have three open scholarships remaining. If I had to venture a guess, with those three slots, the Orange could use another point guard, another 3-point specialist on the wing and another big man in the form of a small forward/power forward or a power forward/center.
In 2025-26, Wilson averaged 28.1 minutes, 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while connecting on 64.2 percent from the field and 56.7 percent from the free-throw line. He was named the Sun Belt Conference defensive player of the year for this past season.
On Tuesday, in national transfer rankings from 247Sports, Wilson checked in as three stars, No. 178 overall and No. 26 at center. National transfer ratings from the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking place him as four stars, No. 206 overall and No. 24 at center.
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