Syracuse basketball's top two recruiting targets in the 2026 class are in the mix for national player of the year during the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.
The 50-member preseason watch list for the 2025-26 Naismith Trophy boys high school player of the year award is out. Numerous former Orange recruits are on the list. Also making the cut, unsurprisingly, are 2026 five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. from New York City and 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. from the Washington, D.C., area.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) November 13, 2025
THREAD: Introducing the 2025-26 @jerseymikes Naismith Boys’ High School Player of the Year Watch List. pic.twitter.com/I5iSgGI5in
A huge congrats to Deron and Jordan!
The 6-foot-2 Rippey is ranked as high as No. 5 overall in the 2026 cycle by Rivals. The 6-foot-3 Smith, meanwhile, is No. 2 nationally, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
The 'Cuse coaching staff offered a scholarship to Rippey in late August of 2023. He has officially and unofficially visited the program. Smith picked up his Orange scholarship offer in early May of 2023. He has unofficially visited the team twice.
Syracuse basketball priority targets are in the mix for a national honor.
Rippey is a senior at the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., which is one of the top prep-school programs around the country. In 2025-26, Rippey will significantly contend for All-America honors. He is expected to drop a top five soon, and we'll have to see if the Orange makes the cut.
Smith is an All-American at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va. As a junior, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and was named the national junior of the year by MaxPreps. In 2024-25, St. Paul VI sported a 27-6 record.
Not too long ago, MaxPreps placed Smith on its preseason All-America first team ahead of the 2025-26 term. St. Paul VI should once again be one of the top teams nationally, and Smith is pretty much a lock for All-America status as a senior.
Smith has the Orange in his top six. Another suitor, Duke, is thought to be the leader at this time in his recruitment.