Syracuse Basketball: 4-star PG Nigel James, who has visited 'Cuse twice, names top 4

Nigel James, an extremely talented point guard in the rising high school senior class who has visited Syracuse basketball twice and holds a 'Cuse offer, is down to four finalists.

The Orange isn't one of them. As first reported by On3 national reporter Joe Tipton, the 6-foot James has a final quartet of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Marquette and Rutgers.

Candidly, I'm not surprised that the 'Cuse isn't in James' top four. Whether the Orange staff backed off, James backed off, or it was a mutual decision, it just seemed to me in recent months that Syracuse basketball coaches were focusing their attention on other four-star guards in the 2025 cycle.

This isn't to say that James, who hails from New York state, isn't an excellent prospect. Because he most certainly is. Numerous recruiting services rate him as a top-100 overall player and a top-20 point guard in the 2025 class.

Syracuse basketball coaches are prioritizing several other 2025 four-star guards.

James, who has amassed more than 20 high-major offers throughout his recruitment, is a standout with the powerhouse Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y. One of his teammates there is 'Cuse 2025 priority target Kiyan Anthony, a four-star shooting guard from New York City.

On the AAU circuit, James this spring and summer is suiting up for the 17U squad of the Boston-based Expressions Elite in Nike's EYBL league. One of his teammates in grassroots basketball is 2025 four-star wing/small forward London Jemison, who took an official visit to the Hill in late December of last year.

The Orange staff offered a scholarship to James around the time that he took an unofficial visit to Central New York in late August of 2023 to play in the team's annual Elite Camp. The following month, in mid-September of last year, James took an official visit to Syracuse basketball.

In the past, James has spoken highly of the Orange program, without question. And there did appear to be a period of time where the 'Cuse was among the college groups recruiting him the hardest.

However, the lead SU recruiter for James was Gerry McNamara, and in late March of this year, McNamara left his job as the associate head coach of Syracuse basketball to become the head coach of Siena.

Whether GMac departing the Hill factored into things between James and the 'Cuse isn't entirely clear to me. Yet if we're talking about four-star point guards/combo guards in the 2025 cycle, it does appear that Orange coaches may be focused on other recruits.

For one, in late April, Syracuse basketball offered a scholarship to 2025 four-star combo guard Acaden Lewis from Washington, D.C., who has said on many occasions of late that he plans to visit the 'Cuse soon.

In late January of this year, 2025 four-star point guard Tyler Jackson from Baltimore took his first official visit, and it was to the Orange. He said not too long ago that he speaks with the 'Cuse staff on a regular basis.

I also get the sense that Syracuse basketball coaches remain in contact with 2025 four-star point guard Keyshuan Tillery from Albany, N.Y. Like Lewis and Jackson, Tillery holds an Orange offer, and he unofficially visited the Hill in late August of last year for the team's Elite Camp.

I want to wish Nigel all the best moving forward in his recruiting process. He's a talented basketball player and a great young man. He will shine wherever he ends up at the collegiate level.