Syracuse Basketball: As 5-star Jordan Smith set to visit, stellar in EYBL, adds offers

Later this week, Syracuse basketball coaches are scheduled to welcome 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. from the talent-rich Washington, D.C., market to the Hill for an unofficial visit.

As recently first reported by top analyst/scout Colby Giacubeno of MADE Hoops and 247Sports, the 6-foot-3 Smith plans to unofficially visit the Orange on June 7. There has been chatter for months now that Smith was eyeing a trip to Central New York, and 'Cuse coaches have a massive opportunity to further strengthen their relationship with this consensus top-15 national prospect in the rising high school junior class.

Following an excellent sophomore year in which he scored All-America honors while proving a key contributor for the powerhouse St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., Smith has played at a high level this spring on the AAU circuit.

He's added a couple of new scholarship offers of late, and when the contact period opens up on June 15 for 2026 prospects, my assumption is that Smith will see his offer sheet significantly expand.

Syracuse basketball will soon welcome five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. to the Hill.

In the 2023-24 campaign, Smith averaged 9.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals per contest, according to MaxPreps, while St. Paul VI finished at 35-3 overall, claimed several titles in the D.C. area, and was the runner-up at the 2024 Chipotle Nationals in Brownsburg, Ind.

For his terrific sophomore season in 2023-24, Smith earned various awards and honors. He was named to The Washington Post's All-Met third team and the All-WCAC ("Washington Catholic Athletic Conference") second squad. Smith, an elite defender with an expanding offensive skill set, was also placed on the MaxPreps sophomore All-America third team.

The 'Cuse staff offered him in May of 2023. Per his X page, Smith has picked up newer scholarship offers from Florida State and Arizona State. His offer list also features Houston, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Providence, Kansas State, Georgetown, Mount St. Mary’s, Villanova and George Mason.

Orange coaches got involved with Smith early on in his recruiting process, which is encouraging. However, his offer sheet will balloon when the contact period opens later this month and college coaches can start initiating direct communication with 2026 players.

What's more, rising high school juniors can begin taking official visits to college campuses on August 1, so let's see if Syracuse basketball is able to get Smith back on Hill down the line for an official visit.

This spring and summer in grassroots hoops, he is playing up a division for the 17U squad of the Washington, D.C.-based Team Takeover in Nike’s EYBL league, an exquisite AAU program to which the Orange staff has strong recruiting ties.

Last month, when the EYBL held a session in Indianapolis amid a live period, the 'Cuse coaching staff was on hand for at least one Team Takeover game.

Toward the end of May, the EYBL held its fourth spring session, in Kansas City, Mo. During that stop, Smith averaged 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per encounter, getting named to The Circuit's All-EYBL Session IV Underclass team.

Around the time of the Kansas City session, 247Sports national analyst/scout Brandon Jenkins wrote in part that Smith "separates himself with his motor and intensity as he seeks out stops on the defensive end and is a fearless attacker offensively. Smith is a great athlete who is bound to leave his mark on a game because of how he refuses to take possessions lightly."

Through all four EYBL sessions, he is averaging 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per affair. Team Takeover, by the way, has gone 14-1 to date, and it will be among the favorites to win the EYBL's season-ending Peach Jam tournament, which takes place from July 13 to July 21 in North Augusta, S.C.

I'm excited to continue tracking Smith's recruitment, and I hope that his upcoming unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball goes well.