Amid Syracuse basketball coaches constructing their 2026-27 roster this offseason, some Orange fans have bemoaned that the 'Cuse hasn't acquired five-star transfers, big-time splashy names or college players who, this past season, suited up for power conference programs.
I've countered, numerous times of late, that head coach Gerry McNamara and his staff are building a roster that fits McNamara's culture, with the goal of winning games right away and getting the 'Cuse back to the annual NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.
To that end, new Syracuse basketball assistant coach Ryan Daly, who has joined the Orange from VCU, discussed SU's roster construction strategy in a podcast interview with Syracuse.com. It's an enlightening and insightful pod; I recommend you check it out!
Syracuse basketball coaches wanted transfers who have previous production.
For context, here's the Orange's 2026-27 roster to date:
•Ryan Moesch, a 2026 four-star point guard from Central New York
•Mark Morano Mahmutovic, a 2026 four-star wing from Slovenia
•Abdramane Siby, a 2026 center from Mali
•Freshman guard Kiyan Anthony
•Freshman forward Sadiq White Jr.
•Freshman wing Calvin Russell III
•Sophomore guard Noah Lobdell
•Sophomore guard Aiden Tobiason, a four-star transfer from Temple
•Junior guard Garwey Dual, a four-star transfer from McNeese State
•Sophomore guard Gavin Doty, a four-star transfer from Siena
•Junior power forward/center Tasman Goodrick, a three-star transfer from Siena
•Redshirt sophomore center Luke Wilson, a four-star transfer from Appalachian State
•Freshman forward Francis Folefac, a four-star transfer from Siena
There are four returnees, including Lobdell and Russell, six college transfers and three 2026 prep signees. Yes, the transfers all hail from mid-major schools, and that's something a contingent of 'Cuse fans likes to point out over and over and over again.
However, per Syracuse.com, the emphasis for Orange coaches in constructing their 2026-27 roster, as it relates to the transfer portal, "was on how much the player had played instead of where he had played."
Let me iterate this: 'Cuse coaches wanted to bring in transfers who had solid prior experience at the collegiate level. "College production is very important," Daly said to Syracuse.com. "You can’t really put a price on someone who has had proven experience. Minutes you can’t put a price on. It’s priceless. They’ve been in the fire. You’re not really hoping. You’ve kind of seen it on film."
As a reference, here is how many minutes each of the Orange's half-dozen transfer commits averaged in the 2025-26 stanza:
Tobiason: 35.3 minutes per game
Dual: 26.5 minutes per game
Doty: 36.8 minutes per game
Goodrick: 23.3 minutes per game (only appeared in nine contests due to an injury)
Wilson: 28.1 minutes per game
Folefac: 28.1 minutes per game
Said Daly: "I do like where our roster is."
I concur, Coach.
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