The best way for Syracuse basketball to have a realistic shot at landing 2026 five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr. from the Washington, D.C., area, is to win a lot of games during the remainder of the current campaign.
That sounds like a captain obvious statement, but it's the reality. The 6-foot-3 Smith, who has been recruited hard by the Orange staff for more than two years, is down to a top six of Syracuse basketball, Arkansas, Duke, Georgetown, Kentucky and Indiana.
National analysts, lately, have characterized Smith's recruiting process as a toss-up, with all six suitors still in play and possibly no true leader at this juncture. All six finalists have appealing traits.
Duke and Kentucky are blue-blood programs that churn out high-quality guards all the time. The Blue Devils' 2025-26 roster includes two former high school teammates of Smith. One of his EYBL teammates in the 2026 class is headed to Indiana.
Georgetown is a local team for Smith and has prioritized him for a while. The 'Cuse has arguably recruited Smith the longest of any in his top six, and he's extremely tight with assistant coach Brenden Straughn, who has deep recruiting ties to the DMV.
So where does Syracuse basketball stand in the recruitment of Jordan Smith Jr.?
For a while, Duke has had some analyst buzz for Smith, who is the nation's No. 2 senior, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
More recently, Arkansas and its head coach, ace recruiter John Calipari, seem to be gaining momentum, some experts say. When recruiting analysts provide "intel" on Smith, the teams I see mentioned the most are Duke and Arkansas, followed by the Orange and Georgetown. Take that for what it's worth.
Smith has said he's in no rush to make a college decision. He has told analysts that he's likely to make a commitment announcement anywhere from February to April. The regular signing period for 2026 high school prospects in basketball begins on April 15.
For now, Smith is focused on his senior season at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., and he's off to a ridiculous start (his team is also No. 1 in the country, per MaxPreps). As his 2025-26 campaign winds down, he may take more campus visits before reaching a decision.
Smith wants to play for a winning program where the culture is all about family and brotherhood. Play style and playing time available will be important to him. There will likely be financial considerations as well in the form of direct revenue-sharing and third-party NIL deals.
From a Syracuse basketball perspective, Smith has unofficially visited the 'Cuse twice. Once in September of 2024, and again in early November of this year, as I first reported. Recently, a source told me that the most recent unofficial visit went well, and that Smith is encouraged by how Syracuse basketball has improved from last season to the current term.
The Orange staff believes it has a shot at prevailing for Smith, but there are a couple of things to monitor. Number one, as my source said, Syracuse basketball has to finish its 2025-26 season strong.
Smith will want to see that the 'Cuse is returning to its winning ways, the team will be back in the NCAA Tournament, and that there is stability with the squad's coaching staff, led by head coach Adrian Autry.
Smith has told analysts that he'll be closely monitoring how the teams in his top six play in January and February, and then he will use that as information in helping to make his college decision. So for the Orange to have any sort of realistic chance at landing Smith, these next two-plus months for the 'Cuse, on the court, are vital.
Beyond that, if Smith is interested in more campus visits, Syracuse basketball coaches will want to get him back to Central New York, this time for an official visit and when the Orange has a game at the JMA Wireless Dome.
If the 'Cuse is playing well and winning games, and Smith takes in a Syracuse basketball encounter inside a rocking JMA Wireless Dome, that could be key for the Orange to make up ground and potentially overtake the likes of Duke and Arkansas to emerge victorious in this recruiting battle.