Syracuse's Gerry McNamara sits next to Adrian Autry at DMV Live, and that's lovely

Syracuse basketball first-year head coach Gerry McNamara and his staff have been out and about this weekend at various events on the East Coast during a scholastic live period, where prospects suit up for their high school teams.

McNamara and several assistants have checked in on recruits at DMV Live in Hyattsville, Md. On Sunday morning, McNamara and his staff were in for 2027 four-star point guard J'Lon Lyons. According to a social media post, sitting next to McNamara on Sunday morning was former Orange head coach Adrian Autry, who is now an assistant at fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Virginia.

I love that.

It didn't pan out for Autry as SU's head coach, and that happens in this sport. However, he's got an awesome new gig, and Autry is a wonderful human being who will fare well in Charlottesville, Va. Autry is a tremendous recruiter, and the Cavaliers will likely go toe to toe with the 'Cuse for high school prospects in the 2027 class and beyond.

Case in point, it appears that both Syracuse basketball and Virginia are prioritizing Lyons, a top-50 national prospect in the rising high school senior class. Lyons is a standout at the Clinton Grace Christian School in Clinton, Md.

On Sunday morning, Clinton Grace defeated the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., by a final score of 69-68. Lyons, as he's done all weekend at DMV Live, stuffed the stat sheet. He tallied 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against Bullis.

Syracuse basketball faces steep competition for 2027 four-star point guard J'Lon Lyons.

Lyons has said that he wants to officially visit the Orange program. He held an offer from the Autry-led staff, and now McNamara is putting on the full-court press for Lyons, it seems.

Earlier this month, according to a post on X from the account NXN, the 6-foot-3 Lyons wants to officially visit the 'Cuse, along with other programs such as Alabama, Boston College, Butler, Cincinnati, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas, VCU and Virginia.

Boston College, by the way, is now the home of former Syracuse basketball assistant coach Brenden Straughn, who is an assistant with the Eagles under first-year head coach Luke Murray.

Lyons is a stock-rising player in the 2027 cycle. He was named to the prestigious All-Met first team in the talent-rich Washington, D.C., market as a junior, and I believe that Lyons can contend for five-star status heading into his senior year.

On Nike's EYBL circuit this spring and summer, Lyons is playing for the 17U squad of the D.C.-based Team Takeover. There was a live period on the AAU circuits in May, with two more coming in July. I anticipate that McNamara and his staff will be in for Lyons next month, too.

According to the Verbal Commits Web site, Lyons' full scholarship offer sheet includes schools such as Cincinnati, Washington, Boston College, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Butler, Alabama, George Washington, Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi State, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State, Providence, Virginia Tech, Florida State, George Mason, Georgetown and Morehead State.

Other SU targets have balled out this weekend at DMV Live, with the new Syracuse basketball staff likely watching them, too. These recruits include 2028 five-star center Logan Chwastyk out of the Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pa., and 2027 four-star shooting guard RJ Moore out of the Ambassador Christian School in Huntersville, N.C.

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