Syracuse basketball into the mix for 4-star Abdou Toure, Connecticut's player of year

Syracuse basketball coaches continue to expand their reach as it pertains to the team's 2026 recruiting efforts.

Per his X page, the Orange staff, led by head coach Adrian Autry, has offered a scholarship to 2026 four-star wing Abdou Toure, who was excellent during the most recent AAU season and had a sensational sophomore term for his high school in Connecticut.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard/small forward, a top-100 national prospect per 247Sports, is a rising junior at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Conn.

In grassroots hoops this spring and summer, Toure has starred for the 16U team of the Boston-based Expressions Elite in Nike's EYBL league.

Syracuse basketball has extended an offer to 2026 four-star wing Abdou Toure.

On June 15, the contact period opened for 2026 prospects, enabling college coaches to start initiating direct communication with rising juniors. Since that time, Toure has landed numerous high-major offers.

Per his X page and recruiting services, Toure's full offer sheet includes schools such as Texas A&M, Louisville, Penn State, Oregon, Alabama, UCF, Arizona State, Providence, Rutgers, Sacred Heart, Yale and Bryant. Two-time defending national champion Connecticut is also reportedly showing an interest in him as well.

On August 1, rising juniors in high school can begin taking official visits to college campuses. Let's see if the 'Cuse staff is able to get Toure on the Hill for an official visit at some point.

According to MaxPreps, during the 2023-24 season, Notre Dame went a perfect 28-0 overall and captured a Division I state championship in Connecticut. In late March, MaxPreps national basketball editor Jordan Divens named Toure his player of the year in Connecticut for the 2023-24 campaign.

As a sophomore, per Divens, Toure averaged 21.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per encounter, while he connected on 68 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent from the free-throw line. Impressive.

A few days ago, the annual Peach Jam tournament on the EYBL circuit wrapped up. During Peach Jam, Toure averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest. Top national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw of On3, per X, named Toure as one of his biggest stock risers at Peach Jam.

In the EYBL's regular season that took place in the late spring, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per affair.

When I wrote this column, 247Sports within the 2026 class placed Toure at No. 82 nationally, No. 23 at small forward, and No. 2 in Connecticut.