Syracuse Basketball: Top scout dishes on stellar scoring prowess of 4-star priorities

This spring and summer on the Under Armour Association ("UAA") circuit, two of the best all-around performers were Syracuse basketball 2025 four-star priority recruits Shon Abaev and Ryder Frost.

Both the 6-foot-8 Abaev, a wing/small forward from Florida, and the 6-foot-6 Frost, a wing from Massachusetts, are fast-rising prospects in the rising high school senior class.

Abaev is a top-40 national prospect who could earn his way toward five-star status. Frost recently entered the top 100 of the 2025 cycle and is likely to climb further with a strong senior season.

The Orange staff offered a scholarship to Abaev in late April of this year. He is scheduled to take an official visit to Syracuse basketball from August 30 to August 31.

Frost picked up his 'Cuse offer in late May and went on an official visit to the Hill in late June. Not too long ago, he disclosed a top eight that includes the Orange.

A top expert lauds Syracuse basketball 2025 four-star targets for their AAU performances.

Abaev, this spring and summer, was a standout for the 17U team of the Pembroke Pines, Fla.-based SOH Elite. He attends the Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

During the most recent UAA season, Frost shined for the 17U squad of the Boston-based Middlesex Magic. He is a rising senior at the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H.

In a recent article, 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein examined the top wings during the most recent UAA season, and his piece included an in-depth analysis of Abaev and Frost. Let's have a look.

Shon Abaev
On the UAA circuit, per Finkelstein, Abaev averaged 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per contest, while hitting on 46 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point land, and 88 percent from the free-throw line.

Regarding Abaev, Finkelstein wrote in part that he's "one of the most polished one-on-one scorers in the national class. A big southpaw wing, with good positional size and an increasingly strong body, he's a volume scorer who is capable of creating his own shot at virtually any time, including against a set half-court defense. That size, plus his high release point, allows him to score over the top of contesting defenders with regularity and be a tough shot-maker off the dribble. He's capable of getting downhill, especially in the open floor, playing through contact more consistently, and getting to the free-throw line as a result. He also has an advanced assortment of runners and floaters when going through the lane and has continued to improve as a spot-up shooter."

Ryder Frost
On the UAA circuit, according to Finkelstein, Frost averaged 15.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 turnovers, 0.2 blocks and 0.5 steals per encounter, while he connected on 48 percent from the field, 45 percent from beyond the arc, and 72 percent from the charity stripe.

As it pertains to Frost, Finkelstein wrote in part that he's "one of the best shooters in high school basketball, who knocked down 45% of threes in UAA play. He's also a specialist who took over 75% of his attempted shots from behind the arc. He's a movement shooter, who excels at getting balanced with his feet set, but he is often best on more condensed cuts at this point. Physically, Frost is powerful, with a thick, yet cut, frame that has obviously been earned in the weight room. ... The bottom line is that he's one of the most potent floor-spacers in the class, with shot-making to be weaponized in a team's playbook, but still needs to find more ways to consistently impact a high-level game when his shots aren't falling."

Abaev and Frost are extremely talented players in the 2025 class. Given their positional overlap, Syracuse basketball isn't going to land both of them. In fact, based on some recent comments from national analysts, it will prove a big-time challenge for the Orange staff to secure a pledge from either Abaev or Frost.

That being said, Frost has already taken an official visit to Central New York and has the 'Cuse in his group of finalists, while Abaev is set to make a trip to the Orange soon. As such, I'd say that Syracuse basketball coaches remain in the mix for both of these excellent 2025 four-star prospects.