Syracuse basketball reaches out to NYC wing who was All-Rookie performer at Manhattan

Seydou Traore, a freshman guard/forward at Manhattan who recently entered the transfer portal, has heard from a bunch of high-major programs, including Syracuse basketball, according to a media report.

The 6-foot-7, 215-pound Traore, who hails from the Bronx, N.Y., entered the portal on April 19, per 247Sports. Since that time, according to On3 national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw, Traore has heard from college squads such as the 'Cuse, USC, Georgetown, Florida State, Clemson, West Virginia, Louisville, Oregon and Michigan, among many others.

Manhattan, located in the Bronx and a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ("MAAC"), went 7-23 overall during the 2023-24 stanza, when Traore was a freshman.

This past season, Traore averaged 32.4 minutes, 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, while connecting on 43.3 percent from the field, 25.6 percent from 3-point land, and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line, according to ESPN data.

Traore was named to the MAAC's 2023-24 All-Rookie team.

Syracuse basketball has reached out to Manhattan wing Seydou Traore.

When I wrote this column on Monday afternoon, in national transfer ratings, the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking placed Traore as three stars, No. 457 nationally and No. 58 at combo guard.

Traore was a member of the 2023 high school recruiting class. Before joining Manhattan, he attended the Our Saviour Lutheran School in the Bronx.

Syracuse basketball 2024 commit Elijah Moore, a four-star shooting guard, just wrapped up a fabulous senior season at Our Saviour Lutheran, which in 2023-24 was a member of the Atlanta-based professional league Overtime Elite, operating there as JellyFam.

The current transfer-portal window opened on March 18 and will run for 45 days. To date, at least six players on the Orange's 2023-24 roster have hit the portal, with sophomore point guard Judah Mintz headed to the 2024 NBA Draft.

The 'Cuse will bring in two high school seniors ahead of the 2024-25 season, including Moore. Syracuse basketball coaches have also landed at least two four-star transfers in Colorado senior center Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Delaware senior forward Jyáre Davis.

Currently, the Orange has several open scholarships available for 2024-25, and the 'Cuse staff continues to mine the portal, likely for a lead guard as a top priority. Four-star transfer Dakota Leffew, a Mount St. Mary's senior guard, has Syracuse basketball in his top six and visited the Hill not too long ago.