As Syracuse basketball offers 4-star guard Dakari Spear, a look at key 2026 recruits

As I anticipated, Syracuse basketball coaches have offered a scholarship to 2026 four-star shooting guard Dakari Spear from Texas, he announced via his X page this week.

Per top recruiting analyst Jake Weingarten, who is the founder of Stockrisers.com, the Orange staff had been showing an interest of late in the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Spear. Weingarten had reported that the 'Cuse was expected to be in attendance for Spear on October 2 amid the fall recruiting period, and he noted his new Syracuse basketball offer later that evening.

First and foremost, congrats to the fast-rising Spear, who is a top-40 national prospect in the high school junior cycle. He is a standout at The Colony High School in The Colony, Texas, and had a break-out most recent AAU season while suiting up for the 16U team of the Irving, Texas-based Drive Nation in Nike's EYBL league.

Besides the Orange, Spear's offer sheet to date also includes schools such as LSU, TCU, Oklahoma State, Alabama, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Arizona State, Texas Tech and Mississippi State, according to a recent story by Weingarten. College squads showing an interest in Spear include Kentucky, Miami, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

Delving into key Syracuse basketball four-star and five-star recruits in the 2026 class.

At this juncture, I'm aware of at least 11 prospects in the 2026 cycle, including Spear, who have received scholarship offers from the 'Cuse, although Orange coaches are likely pursuing some of these players with greater assertiveness than others.

What's more, Syracuse basketball coaches could be showing an interest in other 2026 prospects, including those who competed at the team's annual Elite Camp in late August of this year.

Beyond Spear, here are various high school juniors who could emerge as priority recruits for the Orange coaching staff in this cycle. All of these prospects hold 'Cuse scholarship offers:

Jordan Smith Jr.
The DMV star from St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., took an unofficial visit to the Hill in late September. Smith is a five-star shooting guard and a top-10 national prospect in this class.

Alex Constanza
A five-star guard/small forward out of the Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Constanza is also a top-five overall player in the 2026 cycle, per On3. His dad recently texted me, saying that he and his son are eager to set up an official visit to Syracuse basketball.

Deron Rippey Jr.
Rippey, a five-star point guard and a top-15 national prospect, attends the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. He took an unofficial visit to the 'Cuse last February on Jim Boeheim Day, and his dad reiterated to me via text message not too long ago that Rippey will take an official visit to Syracuse basketball at some point.

Imahri Wooten
Wooten, a four-star wing and a top-60 overall player in his class, is spending his junior season at the Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, N.Y. He unofficially visited the Orange last October. Over the summer, both Wooten's dad and his head coach told me that Wooten wants to officially visit Syracuse basketball in the future.

Prince-Alexander Moody
The four-star guard and top-70 national prospect, out of Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md., unofficially visited the 'Cuse in late August of 2023 for the squad's Elite Camp. I would not be surprised if Moody takes an official visit to Syracuse basketball at some point.

Qayden Samuels
The five-star shooting guard and top-15 overall player is teammates with Moody at Bishop McNamara. He is a somewhat newer 'Cuse target, picking up his Syracuse basketball offer in late July of this year.

Anthony Brown
A four-star point guard and a top-125 national prospect with Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., Brown also unofficially visited the 'Cuse in late August of 2023 for the Orange's Elite Camp. I could envision Brown possibly taking an official visit to Syracuse basketball down the line.

Abdou Toure
The four-star wing from Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Conn., recently made a huge climb in the 2026 rankings, jumping into the top 35 overall, per 247Sports. Like Samuels, Toure was offered by the 'Cuse staff in late July.