Whoever ends up replacing Adrian Autry as the Syracuse men’s basketball coach will have a monumental task ahead of him. He needs to revive a once proud program from its dormant condition. He also needs to reinvigorate a fanbase that has become frustrated and apathetic, but is crucial to the success of the program because of the unique environment the JMA Wireless Dome creates when it’s full.
However, in the short-term, the most important job for the new coach is trying to retain as much of the current roster as possible. Conventional wisdom says that with the convenience of the transfer portal, a new coach will likely mean a huge exodus, forcing Syracuse and its new coach to start from scratch. But that doesn’t mean the new coach can’t try to create some semblance of continuity with the roster.
The talent is there for the Orange
Syracuse’s 15-17 record aside, there is talent on the current roster, and it needs to be retained if possible. Keep in mind that the Orange could have - and probably should have - beaten Houston early in the season. The Orange could have been Kansas and did knock off Tennessee. With subpar coaching, there’s no doubt that Syracuse had the talent to compete with top programs.
In Naithan George, Syracuse could have a senior point guard who is a proven commodity in the ACC. In Sadiq White and Kiyan Anthony, the Orange has two former top recruits who still have great upside despite uneven freshmen campaigns. In Tyler Betsey, the Orange has a dangerous outside shooter who could potentially develop the other parts of his game.
The two wild cards of the group are Donnie Freeman and Nate Kingz. Freeman is a prime candidate to leave and begin a pro career, even if he’s not a lock to be an NBA Draft selection. Kingz is technically out of eligibility, but will pursue an NCAA waiver that could get him an extra year. He’s indicated that he would be open to returning to Syracuse next season despite the uncertainty at head coach. Both Freeman and Kings would surely be assets to the Orange next season.
New coach, same core
If the new coach can convince the likes of George, White, Anthony, and Betsey to return, with Freeman and Kingz being options as well, the Orange would have a core in place for the 2026-27 season. The backcourt, in particular, would be in good shape. While some fans might be reluctant to run it back with a similar group of players, if coaching was truly the problem behind this season’s disaster, a new coach should be able to get more out of that group of players.
Given the roster turnover of the last few seasons, being able to retain several key players could be a good way for the new coach to endear himself to the fanbase. Anthony is already a fan favorite for obvious reasons. With White’s highlight reel dunks and Betsey’s propensity for knocking down perimeter shots, both are crowd favorites as well. Kingz, if granted another year of eligibility, would be a fan favorite because of the effort he gives and his strong finish to the season. It would be a shame to see all of those players leave the program after just one season.
The portal awaits
One way or another, the transfer portal will be huge in reshaping next year’s Syracuse basketball roster. Of course, the new coach will have his own preferences for who will be a good fit. Whether the new coach is USF’s Bryan Hodgson, an obvious choice, or someone else, the coach could bring players from his current school with him. Even if some of the current players remain, with no high school seniors committed to the Orange, there will inevitably be several new players brought in via the portal.
However, there’s no denying that the transfer portal will be much easier to manage if at least a few members of the current roster remain. It would create some continuity when rebuilding next season’s team, while also creating fewer holes on the roster that need to be filled. While NIL typically plays a role in player decisions, the new coach is likely to be a bigger influence on whether the current players stay or not. They will need to be convinced that Syracuse is still the best place for them, and that will be among the new coach’s top priorities.