Syracuse basketball is among the programs displaying some level of interest in a four-star transfer center who was the top defensive player in his league this past season.
Per a post on X from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Appalachian State redshirt sophomore Luke Wilson is hearing from teams such as the Orange, Georgia, Mississippi State, Saint Louis and Cincinnati.
The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Wilson hails from Augusta, Ga. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 28.1 minutes, 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while making 64.2 percent from the field and 56.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Appalachian State transfer Luke Wilson tells me that he’s receiving interest from the following programs:
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 19, 2026
Georgia
Mississippi State
Syracuse
Saint Louis
Cincinnati
Last season, Appalachian State went 19-13 overall. In 2025-26, Wilson was anointed the Sun Belt Conference defensive player of the year. Per a release from Appalachian State, Wilson was instrumental in leading the Mountaineers "to top-15 national rankings in both field-goal percentage defense and scoring defense this season."
The transfer portal opened for business on April 7 and will run through April 21. Players don't have to commit to a new college program by April 21; they just have to be in the portal.
Syracuse basketball likely needs another big man or two for its 2026-27 roster.
To date this offseason, Orange head coach Gerry McNamara and his staff have constructed a roster for the 2026-27 campaign that includes two returnees (among main scholarship players from 2025-26), three 2026 prep commits and four college transfers.
Without question, the 'Cuse could use another big man or two in the form of a center and a combination small forward/power forward or a combo power forward/center. In national transfer rankings from 247Sports, Wilson is three stars, No. 178 overall and No. 26 at center.
Via national transfer ratings from the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking, he is four stars, No. 206 overall and No. 24 at center.
Syracuse basketball coaches have shown some level of interest in other transfer forwards/centers of late, including three-star UAB junior Evan Chatman and three-star Devin Williams, who in 2025-26 was a redshirt sophomore at Florida Atlantic.
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