Syracuse Basketball: Which 4-star transfers has 'Cuse reached out to? We explore.

The transfer portal opened on Monday, March 18, running for 45 days, and to date, Syracuse basketball coaches have reached out to at least five college players of which I'm aware, according to national recruiting analysts.

The Orange, ahead of the 2024-25 season, will have scholarships available, as at least four players from this past season's roster have entered the transfer portal. As I noted on Friday, the 'Cuse roster for next term will be significantly revamped, much as lots of other Division I squads amid the transfer portal's explosion.

Since the portal is open for another month or so, we don't fully know the extent of current Orange players who may hit the portal. To date, those who are in the portal include sophomore center Peter Carey, sophomore guard/wing Quadir Copeland, sophomore guard/wing Justin Taylor, and junior forward Benny Williams, who was dismissed from the SU program in early February.

To me, the Syracuse basketball coaching staff's potentially biggest needs out of the portal include landing a point guard (assuming sophomore Judah Mintz heads to the pro ranks), a veteran big man and potentially a wing player who can stroke it from deep.

Let's review which college transfers have heard from Syracuse basketball this cycle.

The below list isn't meant to be fully exhaustive, as it's entirely feasible that Orange coaches have made contact with some college transfers, and those developments aren't out there in the public domain.

Still, here are five players in the portal who have heard from the 'Cuse coaching staff:

Pharrel Payne
•Minnesota sophomore forward
•In national transfer ratings, he's ranked four stars and No. 69 overall by On3
•During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 10.0 points, 6.1 boards, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game

BJ Freeman
•Milwaukee junior wing
•In national transfer ratings, he's ranked four stars and No. 91 overall by 247Sports, as well as four stars and No. 97 overall by On3
•During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game

Jaquan Carlos
•Hofstra junior point guard
•During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game

Dakota Leffew
•Mount St. Mary's senior guard
•In national transfer ratings, he's ranked four stars and No. 38 overall by 247Sports, as well as four stars and No. 140 overall by On3
•During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game

Mikeal Brown-Jones
•UNC Greensboro senior forward
•In national transfer ratings, he's ranked four stars and No. 37 overall by 247Sports, as well as four stars and No. 12 overall by On3
•During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game