Syracuse Basketball: 5-star Jordan Smith has big game on ESPNU, states case for No. 1

Playing on national television, Syracuse basketball 2026 five-star priority target Jordan Smith Jr. was fabulous on Thursday night, as the All-American led his DMV program to a big-time win over a powerhouse team from New York state.

The 6-foot-3 Smith, an elite guard who has unofficially visited the Orange twice and has the 'Cuse in his top six, tallied 26 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals, according to a post on X from my guy and top scout Aaron Proia. Smith connected on 8-of-17 from the field, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc and 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.

Wow.

Most importantly, Smith led his squad, St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., to a 66-56 home victory over another terrific group, Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y. This game was televised on ESPNU as part of ESPN's high school showcase series during the current 2025-26 season.

Proia wrote on X that "Smith showed the shot-making improvements in the 1H mixed in with his standard POA (point-of-attack) defense, above the rim finishing, and competitive fire. Outscored his opponent by himself for the first 13 minutes of play, big win on his home floor in a marquee matchup with a good Stepinac team."

Syracuse basketball recruit Jordan Smith Jr. is in the mix for the No. 1 spot in his class.

Currently, within the 2026 cycle, Smith is No. 2 overall via the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. ESPN has him at No. 3 nationwide. For a while now, Smith has been the premier defender in the high school senior class, and with his offense game expanding and growing, some analysts and scouts say that Smith could make a run at the No. 1 national ranking in his cycle.

Paul Biancardi, ESPN's recruiting director, wrote in an article a few days ago that Smith is in a "prime position to challenge for the No. 1 spot in the class," which is held by five-star small forward Tyran Stokes of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle.

Biancardi added, "As a powerful two-way guard, Smith brings to mind NBA veteran Marcus Smart at the same stage. The best on-ball defender in the class, Smith loves to attack downhill, leading to high field goal percentages and plenty of trips to the free throw line. His playmaking has taken a leap recently as a true lead guard, and he's dishing out 4.1 assists per game (nearly double his career average), according to Cerebro Sports. He's showing he can facilitate while carrying a scoring load, too."

Coming into Thursday evening's affair, both St. Paul VI and Archbishop Stepinac were in the top 15 around the country, according to Biancardi. With its triumph, St. Paul VI moved to 4-0 in the early part of the season.

Smith, offered a scholarship by the Orange staff in early May of 2023, has a top six of Duke, Arkansas, Georgetown, Kentucky, Indiana and the 'Cuse. Led by assistant coach Brenden Straughn, Syracuse basketball has recruited Smith hard for two-plus years. He could make a college decision soon, although possibly after the calendar turns to 2026, some analysts say.