In Rivals' refresh, many Syracuse basketball recruits reside in top 50 (and much higher)

Syracuse basketball 2026 four-star and five-star recruiting targets are highly placed in the latest update of national rankings from Rivals that came out earlier this week.

In the Rivals refresh, numerous Orange targets are in the top 50 or even higher than that, and virtually all of them are inside the top 100. Last month, I did a deep dive on which 2026 prospects are likely the top targets for the 'Cuse at this point in time, although recruiting is a fluid business.

Below, I list the updated Rivals rankings for various Orange targets, however, this article isn't meant to be fully exhaustive.

Where Syracuse basketball recruits reside in updated 2026 rankings.

Jordan Smith Jr., five-star shooting guard
St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va.
New Rivals ranking: No. 6 overall and No. 2 at shooting guard
Smith, who unofficially visited the Orange last September, dropped a top six earlier this week that includes the 'Cuse.

Deron Rippey Jr., five-star point guard
Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J.
New Rivals ranking: No. 8 overall and No. 2 at point guard
Rippey, who jumped into the top 10 in this Rivals refresh, unofficially visited the Hill in late February of 2024 and will take an official visit to Syracuse basketball in late September.

Christian Collins, five-star forward
St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif.
New Rivals ranking: No. 12 overall and No. 5 at small forward
Last month, the Orange staff offered a scholarship to Collins and also watched him during a live period.

Alex Constanza, five-star guard/small forward
Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio
New Rivals ranking: No. 15 overall and No. 7 at small forward
Constanza took an official visit to the 'Cuse last October and may visit the program a second time, his dad has told me.

Miles Sadler, four-star point guard
CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix
New Rivals ranking: No. 19 overall and No. 3 at small forward
The Orange offered Sadler in late October of last year. He recently said that the 'Cuse is among the programs recruiting him hard these days.

Quinn Costello, four-star wing/power forward
The Newman School in Boston
New Rivals ranking: No. 27 overall and No. 5 at power forward
One of the fastest-rising prospects in 2026 of late, Costello picked up an Orange offer in June. Syracuse basketball also watched him over the summer during the latest AAU season.

Maximo Adams, four-star small forward
Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif.
New Rivals ranking: No. 28 overall and No. 9 at small forward
In late June, Adams secured a 'Cuse offer. One of his AAU coaches has told me that Adams is interested in visiting Syracuse basketball, although recently, his offer sheet has blown up with blue-blood offers.

Abdou Toure, five-star wing
Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Conn.
New Rivals ranking: No. 34 overall and No. 8 at shooting guard
Toure, offered by the Orange last July, hasn't said much about the 'Cuse in interviews about his recruitment, however, head coach Adrian Autry was on hand for Toure last month during a live period.

Vaughn Karvala, four-star wing/small forward
CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix
New Rivals ranking: No. 59 overall and No. 23 at small forward
Karvala unofficially visited the Orange last November and will take an official visit to Syracuse basketball in late September, during the same weekend as Rippey.

Dakari Spear, four-star shooting guard
Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas
New Rivals ranking: No. 73 overall and No. 16 at shooting guard
The 'Cuse staff has visited Spear on several occasions since offering him last fall. He is going to officially visit Syracuse basketball in the coming months. We're just waiting on a date.

Aliou Dioum, four-star center
CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix
New Rivals ranking: No. 80 overall and No. 11 at center
The Orange offered Dioum last fall, and the 'Cuse staff was in attendance for him on Nike's EYBL circuit during the most recent AAU season. Dioum has said that Syracuse is one of his favorite schools, due to his fondness for Carmelo Anthony.

Asher Elson, four-star power forward/center
Atlanta-based professional league Overtime Elite
New Rivals ranking: No. 115 overall and No. 19 at power forward
Elson, who reclassified from 2025 into the 2026 cycle, has scheduled an official visit to the Orange from October 10 to October 12.

MJ Madison, four-star power forward
Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y.
New Rivals ranking: No. 118 overall and No. 20 at power forward
In May, the 'Cuse offered Madison, and the Orange coaching staff watched him on the EYBL circuit in the latest grassroots hoops campaign. I've been told that Madison is likely to visit Syracuse basketball.