Since the new Syracuse basketball staff, led by first-year head coach Gerry McNamara, took over the Orange program earlier this spring, the high school recruiting focus has appeared to center on the 2027 class.
That makes sense, since 2027 prospects are rising seniors in high school. However, 'Cuse coaches will also start ramping up their pursuit of players in the 2028 cycle and beyond, too. Prospects in 2028 are rising juniors, and starting on June 15, college coaches will be able to initiate direct communication with players in this class.
At that time, or soon thereafter, we'll probably see the Syracuse basketball staff begin to reach out to more 2028 prospects, and that could include new scholarship offers. As I've noted on several occasions, the new Orange staff could also re-offer 2028 players who had held a scholarship offer from the former 'Cuse staff led by then-head coach Adrian Autry.
Syracuse basketball coaches watching 2028 prospects during live periods - there was one last weekend, for example - or following these players on social media can indicate some level of interest, and that may also suggest future offers.
To that end, the Orange coaching staff watched 2028 five-star wing Isaiah Hamilton last weekend amid the NCAA-permitted evaluation period. On the AAU circuits, he suits up for the 16U team of the Toronto-based Canada Elite in the Under Armour Association ("UAA") league.
Syracuse basketball coaches are evaluating high school prospects for potential scholarship offers.
Two other highly ranked 2028 prospects whom Syracuse basketball recruiting enthusiasts should monitor for possible future SU offers are four-star power forward Braxton Bogard and four-star combo guard Rowan Phillips.
The 6-foot-8 Bogard is followed on X by Orange assistant coaches Ryan Daly and Jamal Brunt. The 6-foot-6 Phillips is followed on X by Daly.
This spring and summer in grassroots hoops, Bogard is competing for the 16U team of the Hampton, Va-based Boo Williams in Nike's EYBL league. He attends Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Md.
Phillips, meanwhile, plays for the 16U squad of the Philadelphia-based Team Final in the EYBL. He attends the Westtown School in West Chester, Pa. In late August of 2024, Phillips took an unofficial visit to the Orange to suit up in the team's annual Elite Camp.
From May 15 to May 17, amid the live period, the EYBL circuit was in Memphis, Tenn. Per an Instagram story post, Daly was on hand during that spring session in the Nike league.
Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Boston College, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, St. Joe’s, VCU, Duke, Virginia Tech, Maryland among those in for @TeamFinalEYBL and @BooWilliamsAAU 16s pic.twitter.com/PHZlfR5KiX
— Ari Rosenfeld (@ARosenfeldHoops) May 16, 2026
What's more, per a post on X from Ari Rosenfeld, who is the owner of ELITE High School Scouting, the 'Cuse staff was in attendance for a battle in the 16U division between Boo Williams and Team Final.
Within the 2028 class, both Bogard and Phillips are top-25 national prospects. The industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking places Bogard at No. 23 nationally, while Phillips checks in at No. 21 overall, per this composite rating system.
In Memphis, per the EYBL Web site, Bogard averaged 16.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while connecting on 61.4 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from the free-throw line. Phillips, meanwhile, averaged 18.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.8 steals per contest while making 50.0 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from beyond the arc and 87.0 percent from the charity stripe.
Last weekend, the scouting experts at The Circuit named Phillips to their All-EYBL session two second team in the 16U division, while Bogard picked up an honorable mention nod.
The EYBL is currently holding another spring session that began on May 22 and runs through May 25 in Kansas City, Mo.
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