Syracuse Basketball: 5-star Jordan Smith is nation's No. 1 senior. It's not up for debate.

Jordan Smith Jr., the long-time Syracuse basketball priority recruiting target, is the No. 1 player around the country in the 2026 class. It's not up for debate. And candidly, anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't watched the five-star shooting guard play over the past few days in the Sunshine State.

The 6-foot-3 Smith put an emphatic stamp on his performances at the prestigious City of Palms Classic on Tuesday night, delivering a knockout blow to a tremendous program from New York state to come away with the event's championship crown.

Playing on ESPN2, Smith logged 31 points, six rebounds, two assists and four steals, leading St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., to a thrilling 57-53 victory over Archbishop Stepinac High School from White Plains, N.Y., at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.

Smith, who did commit five turnovers, went 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-6 from beyond the arc and 11-of-15 from the free-throw line. As St. Paul VI went 4-0 at the City of Palms Classic, he averaged a whopping 31.2 points per game and was named the tournament's MVP.

Syracuse basketball is in a recruiting battle for 2026 five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr.

Smith is already No. 2 nationally, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. So a move to the top spot is conceivable. For a long time now, analysts and scouts have deemed him the best defender in the 2026 cycle.

Given his offensive output against elite competition over the past few days, Smith is making a strong case to be No. 1 overall in the high school senior class when recruiting services next update their rankings for this cycle.

In terms of Smith's recruitment, he has a top six of Syracuse basketball, Arkansas, Georgetown, Kentucky and Indiana. Duke has carried analyst buzz for a while, although analysts say that Arkansas and its head coach, John Calipari, have momentum these days.

Smith is in no rush to make a college decision. He's focused on his senior season at St. Paul VI, and Smith will significantly contend for national player of the year honors in 2025-26.

Some Orange fans have said, via chat forums and on social media, that they think the 'Cuse has no shot at landing Smith. While Syracuse basketball has work to do to prevail for Smith, he has said that all the schools in his top six remain in the mix, with a decision likely coming between February and April.

For the Orange, it's pretty simple. Syracuse basketball has to play well in Atlantic Coast Conference competition and show Smith that there is stability with the current coaching staff, and also that the 'Cuse is a winning program that will be getting back to the NCAA Tournament after a four-year absence.

The Orange staff offered a scholarship to Smith in early May of 2023 and has recruited him hard ever since. He's close with assistant coach Brenden Straughn, who has deep recruiting ties to the DMV. Smith took an unofficial visit to the Hill in September of 2024 and a second unofficial visit to the program in early November of this year, as I first reported.

A source told me this week that Smith's unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball last month went well. Smith has told analysts that he may look to take more college visits as his senior season winds down, and I'm told that the Orange would like to get him to the Hill for an official visit at some point.

The 'Cuse staff believes that it has a shot with Smith. We'll have to see how the rest of the 2025-26 campaign plays out for Syracuse basketball. Doing well in ACC play will only help the Orange's chances with Smith.