Syracuse basketball interest in 4-star, No. 2 center Darius Ratliff; let's see an offer

Fast-rising junior Darius Ratliff from New York state is hearing from Syracuse basketball, among other suitors, these days.

I'd love to see the Orange coaching staff extend a scholarship offer to this talented young man sooner rather than later.

Top recruiting analyst Sam Kayser of League Ready, in a post on X earlier this week, noted various college squads that have been in touch lately with the 6-foot-10 Ratliff, a four-star power forward/center and a top-25 national prospect in the 2026 class.

Among those teams, according to Kayser, is Syracuse basketball, along with fellow Atlantic Coast Conference members Duke and California, Rutgers, Mississippi State and UCF.

Ratliff is a junior at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., a program that the 'Cuse staff has heavily recruited over the years. On the AAU circuit, Ratliff runs with the Bronx, N.Y.-based PSA Cardinals in Nike’s EYBL league.

Syracuse basketball has an interest in one of the nation's top big men in the 2026 cycle.

According to posts on X, in late November of last year, the Orange coaching staff was on hand for Archbishop Stepinac's opening game of the current 2024-25 season.

Ratliff has unofficially visited Syracuse basketball. In late August of 2024, per reports, he was on the SU campus to play in the Orange's annual Elite Camp, along with several of his Archbishop Stepinac teammates.

According to his X page and recruiting services, Ratliff's full offer sheet includes schools such as Mississippi State, California, Rutgers, Stanford, Wake Forest, Northern Illinois, Old Dominion, UCF, St. Bonaventure, Manhattan, Hofstra and Pepperdine.

Within the 2026 class, multiple recruiting services have him in the top 60 overall, the top 10 at center and within the top three in New York. Currently, Ratliff's highest 2026 rankings come via On3, which recently updated its ratings for this cycle and has him at No. 24 nationwide, No. 2 at center and No. 2 in New York.

Last fall, On3 national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw published an in-depth evaluation of Ratliff. I highly encourage you to check it out if you want to learn more about this Syracuse basketball recruit.

Shaw wrote in part, "Even as an almost 7-footer, Ratliff is a fluid athlete. He changes directions quickly and is able to slide his feet. He has natural timing around the basket, affecting shots with both hands. And he runs the floor well, switching ends and long-striding to the front of the rim."

To date, I'm aware of at least 15 prospects in the 2026 class who have secured 'Cuse offers, although Orange coaches are actively pursuing some of these recruits more than others. The vast majority of these 2026 offers have gone out to guards and wings.

In late October of last year, the 'Cuse offered 2026 four-star center Aliou Dioum of CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix. Syracuse basketball is also displaying an interest in 2026 four-star center Keiner Asprilla of the Saint Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, N.J.