Syracuse basketball has sealed the deal with 4-star transfer center Eddie Lampkin

Okay, Syracuse basketball fans, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Based on social media posts and media reports, it looks like the Orange staff has sealed the deal with four-star transfer center Eddie Lampkin Jr. after a few weeks of uncertainty and frankly, confusion (at least from my perspective).

As Syracuse.com's Brent Axe and Mike Waters first reported, the 6-foot-11, 265-pound Lampkin, a Colorado senior center who has one season of collegiate eligibility remaining, was at the 'Cuse on Thursday to meet with Orange coaches and hopefully finalize an agreement to keep Lampkin on the Syracuse basketball roster for the 2024-25 campaign.

In recent weeks, rumors circulated about Lampkin's commitment to the 'Cuse. He had pledged to the team in early April, but then more recently, questions emerged regarding his removal of some Syracuse-related content from his social media accounts.

Rumors also filled social media and chat rooms about whether other college squads were pursuing Lampkin even after his initial pledge to the Orange, with the possibility of lucrative name, image and likeness deals being directed his way from other suitors.

Hopefully, all of that stuff is a thing of the past. Lampkin, amid his visit to Central New York, had posts on his Instagram and X pages that seemed to indicate he was committed to the 'Cuse.

Mike McAllister, a top analyst with 247Sports, published a report stating that Lampkin had reaffirmed his commitment to Syracuse basketball. Axe, too, had a post on his X page with a similar theme.

Syracuse basketball appears to have sealed the deal with four-star transfer center Eddie Lampkin Jr.

I'm excited that Lampkin remains committed to the Orange, as he will be a huge piece to the team's puzzle in 2024-25 as Syracuse basketball attempts to get back to the NCAA Tournament following a three-year absence. Candidly, I'm also glad this saga is over, for the sake of Lampkin, the 'Cuse staff and other players, and the SU fan base.

Lampkin, in the 2023-24 season, averaged 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game at Colorado. This off-season, in national transfer rankings, multiple recruiting services place him as four stars, in the top 200 overall and in the top 20 at center.

In 2024-25, head coach Adrian Autry's starting line-up is likely to include Lampkin at the center spot. He and rising senior Naheem McLeod are the only true centers on the 2024-25 roster at this juncture, with guys such as Peter Carey, Mounir Hima and William Patterson (along with Maliq Brown) hitting the transfer portal.

Based on comings and goings this off-season, the Orange currently has 10 scholarship players for the upcoming season, with three scholarships still open.

To me, the 'Cuse has several remaining needs before 2024-25 commences, and they are securing another combo guard, a 3-point specialist out on the wing, and a big man who can suit up at power forward and center.

Regarding the guard position, McAllister reported on Thursday that Syracuse basketball coaches are pursuing Georgia State junior guard Lucas Taylor, a four-star transfer prospect who has a high interest in SU.

Taylor confirmed the Orange's interest in him to me on Thursday as well, and he may take an official visit to the Hill early next month after the current dead period in recruiting is over on June 2.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Taylor, who has one year of college eligibility left, averaged 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest as a junior for Georgia State in 2023-24.