Syracuse Basketball: ‘Cuse continues to recruit 4-star PG Nigel James on top-5 team hard

Nigel James, a 2025 four-star point guard and a top-100 national prospect who is playing well so far as a junior at the powerhouse Long Island Lutheran, says that the Syracuse basketball coaching staff continues to recruit him hard.

The 6-foot James received a scholarship offer from the Orange in late August, and he took an official visit to the Hill shortly thereafter, in mid-September.

James has taken official visits to the ‘Cuse, Marquette, Providence, and Rutgers. He told top national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw of On3 in a recent interview that he’s eyeing potentially going on more visits in the future.

James transferred to Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., for his junior season. One of his backcourt teammates at Long Island Lutheran in the 2023-24 season is another Orange priority recruit, 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony, who was offered by Syracuse basketball in November of 2022 and officially visited ‘Cuse in late October.

Four-star junior point guard Nigel James dishes on Syracuse basketball.

Long Island Lutheran is a member of arguably the country’s top high school conference, the loaded 14-member Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic (“EYBL Scholastic”).

Orange fans will have an opportunity to watch James on national television in 2023-24, during some EYBL Scholastic games as well as at other showcase events.

To that end, Long Island Lutheran recently competed at the prestigious 2023 City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Several of the Crusaders’ contests at this annual event were on ESPNU.

Going up against top-flight competition, James earned high marks from national analysts and scouts for some of his performances at the City of Palms Classic.

I watched two of his games, and I was really impressed by James’ court vision, his facilitating for others, his high energy and all-out hustle, his defensive instincts, and his ability to carve out space in the lane and get to the rim.

According to analysts and a source of my own, Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry, associate head coach Gerry McNamara and assistant coach Allen Griffin were all in attendance for Long Island Lutheran affairs at the City of Palms Classic to see James and Anthony.

Long Island Lutheran, by the way, is currently ranked a top-five national team in high school hoops, and the Crusaders are a significant contender to win the EYBL Scholastic regular-season title and make a return to the GEICO Nationals next spring.

In his chat with Shaw, James said of the Orange, “I learned they let their guards go there, a lot of freedom. They are a great program. They have a new coach they have recruited me hard, they really want me there. It’s nice there, really big. They have the Carmelo Anthony Center. They take care of their athletes and make sure they’re in the best shape possible.”