Syracuse Basketball: The Orange's depth chart at shooting guard in the 2025-26 season

On paper, the Syracuse basketball backcourt is looking good for the 2025-26 season. Between the return of J.J. Starling and the addition of a few new players, Adrian Autry should feel comfortable with the guards leading his team. After already looking closely at the depth chart at point guard, let’s do the same with the players who will be seeing action at shooting guard for the Orange during the 2025-26 campaign.

Starter: J.J. Starling

There’s no question that Starling will be the starting shooting guard for the Orange. He’s the closest thing to a sure thing Syracuse has for next season after leading the Orange with 17.8 points per game last season. Keep in mind that he missed several games with a broken left hand. The Baldwinsville native also saw his field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage drop from his sophomore season at Syracuse. Part of that is because Starling was the only player on the team who could create his own shot, putting a ton of pressure on him. With a little more help around him, Starling should be a more effective offensive player, potentially becoming an All-ACC-caliber player in his senior season.

Backup: Kiyan Anthony

The long-awaited arrival of the younger Anthony is almost here. Unlike his father, fans shouldn’t expect Anthony to step into the starting lineup as a freshman and lead Syracuse to the promised land. However, he’s still a safe bet to be Starling's primary backup and one of the Orange’s most important bench players. He’s not as tall as his father and may not be a dead-eye three-point shooter. But his 247Sports scouting report describes a player with a diverse offensive arsenal who’s capable of making tough shots. There should be little question that Anthony will be ready to contribute as a freshman, providing a capable backup for Starling while also being able to play alongside Syracuse’s star senior at times.

Third String: Luke Fennell

As a combo-guard, Fennell figures to be the third-string option at both point guard and shooting guard. Of course, with Starling commanding at least 30-35 minutes per game and Anthony likely ready to play meaningful minutes as a freshman, Fennell could be buried on the depth chart at both positions. If Autry uses a bigger rotation early in the season, Fennell could get a chance to earn 5-10 minutes per game during the ACC season. Otherwise, he may have to wait patiently until his sophomore year to play meaningful minutes unless injury or foul trouble creates an opportunity.

Emergency Option: Bryce Zephir

Similar to his role as the emergency point guard, Zephir’s role will be providing extra depth in the backcourt. He shot less than 30% from three-point range with Montana State last season, so he doesn’t exactly add an extra shooter to the Syracuse rotation. However, the coaching staff brought him in for a reason, so perhaps he can carve out a niche and prove useful for the Orange in certain situations. Of course, that still doesn’t put him in line to play a lot of minutes. On the other hand, if Syracuse gets hit with an injury or two in the backcourt, they’ll be glad to have a player like Zephir, who’s been around the block from North Texas to Montana State, with a few junior college stops along the way, so he at least brings some experience to the table.