Four-star shooting guard Dakari Spear, a top-70 national prospect in the 2026 class, picked Big 12 Conference member Texas Tech over Syracuse basketball when he announced his college decision on Monday via social media.
This wasn't a surprise. Ahead of his announcement, the Red Raiders had analyst buzz for the 6-foot-4 Spear, who is from Texas, on the Rivals Web site. He officially visited the Orange in early September, and Spear also took an official visit to Texas Tech.
Wreck ‘em❤️🖤 #LLAQ pic.twitter.com/sQXhnjfgHd
— Dakari spear (@DaKarispear) October 13, 2025
Spear is a senior at the powerhouse Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas. He is also suiting up for FaZe in the Atlanta-based professional league Overtime Elite. Former NBA star Jermaine O'Neal is the head coach of Dynamic Prep and FaZe. I'm wishing Dakari all the best. He has a bright future ahead at the collegiate level.
What's next for Syracuse basketball in the 2026 class?
The Orange coaching staff is still on the hunt for its first verbal commitment in the 2026 cycle, with the early signing period fast approaching next month, while the regular signing period is next April.
As far as I can tell, the top three targets for the 'Cuse in 2026 are four-star wing/big man Asher Elson, along with five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. and five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. Elson took his official visit to Syracuse basketball this past weekend, and it went well. The Orange has pursued him for a while, and Syracuse basketball is likely one of Elson's top choices.
Rippey officially visited the 'Cuse in late September and unofficially visited the program in late February of 2024, on Jim Boeheim Day. As he wraps up his official visits, he will trim his list to around five schools, Rippey's dad has told me.
Smith unofficially visited Syracuse basketball in September of last year. The Orange staff is trying to get him on campus for a second visit during the upcoming 'Cuse 2025-26 hoops season. Smith plans to sign during the regular period next spring, and Duke currently has an analyst prediction for him on 247Sports.
Beyond those three, things get a little murky. I'm told that the Orange is still trying to get four-star wing/small forward Vaughn Karvala on campus for an official visit, but nothing is scheduled. He unofficially visited last November.
Things have been quiet lately between Syracuse basketball and five-star guard/small forward Alex Constanza, who took an official visit to the team last October, and it went really well. I'm not sure the latest between the Orange staff and four-star power forward MJ Madison, who picked up a 'Cuse scholarship offer this past May.
Beyond that, Syracuse basketball coaches may look to bring on board a 2027 target who could potentially re-class to the 2026 cycle, such as four-star wing/small forward Clyde Walters, who also suits up in Overtime Elite.
I should also mention Calvin Russell lll. The 2026 five-star wide receiver out of Miami Northwestern Senior High School is verbally committed to Syracuse football, and it's likely he will play for Syracuse basketball, at least initially.
The chatter is that he's expected to sign with the 'Cuse during the early period and will be on the SU campus this coming January. That being said, it's not clear to me if Russell would join Syracuse basketball in the middle of its 2025-26 season.
One other thing to add here. I don't anticipate that this Orange class will be overly big. The team's 2025-26 roster has 13 scholarship players. Four of them will have exhausted their eligibility. That means the 'Cuse will have scholarships available. But Syracuse basketball coaches will also focus a lot of their recruiting efforts on the transfer portal this coming off-season.