I anticipate that 2026 five-star shooting guard and top-five national prospect Jordan Smith Jr. from the DMV is likely to visit Syracuse basketball again at some point in the future.
Nothing, to my knowledge, has been scheduled, but based on various media reports and interviews given by the 6-foot-3 Smith of late, the Orange is one of the schools that he would like to visit as his recruiting process carries on.
The 'Cuse coaching staff has recruited the elite Washington, D.C., area product extremely hard for a while now. Syracuse basketball offered him a scholarship back in early May of 2023. Orange coaches have watched him at his high school, on the AAU circuit, and with USA Basketball overseas.
Last September, Smith unofficially visited Syracuse basketball. He has also made trips to fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools Duke and Louisville. Smith holds more than 20 offers from a range of high-major programs, including blue-blood teams and other heavyweights in the sport.
Even though the competition is fierce, based on experts whom I've talked to throughout Smith's recruitment, the Orange is firmly in the mix for his services, buoyed by Syracuse basketball coaches' strong ties to Smith's high school and grassroots hoops squad.
Syracuse basketball is prioritizing 2026 five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr.
While Smith is already in the top five overall of his class, national analysts and scouts say he could climb even higher in the 2026 rankings. In the 2024-25 campaign, the All-American was named the MaxPreps national junior of the year as he led St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., to a 27-6 record.
Top national analyst/scout Samad Hines, in his super early preseason top 25 ahead of the 2025-26 term, has St. Paul VI at No. 11 around the country.
This spring and summer, Smith is part of a loaded roster for the 17U squad of the Washington-based Team Takeover in Nike's EYBL league. Both Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry and assistant coach Brenden Straughn previously served as assistants with the Team Takeover program.
Not too long ago, when the EYBL held a session in Memphis, Tenn., amid a live period with college coaches in attendance, a source told me that the Syracuse basketball staff was in attendance for Team Takeover in the 17U division.
To date this spring, Team Takeover is 10-1 overall, and it will be one of the favorites to cut down the nets at the season-ending Peach Jam tournament, which will transpire this July in North Augusta, S.C.
Smith has proven one of the best performers on the EYBL circuit this spring, averaging 19.5 points, 3.6 assists and 7.4 rebounds per contest while making 56.4 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.