Top expert has Syracuse basketball 5-star commit Sadiq White, IMG at No. 1 nationally

Syracuse basketball 2025 commit Sadiq White Jr., a five-star forward and a top-15 national prospect who hails from Charlotte, N.C., resides on the nation's top-ranked high school program this week, according to one expert.

On Monday, ESPN recruiting director Paul Biancardi unveiled his latest top 25 for the current season in high school hoops, which is just getting underway. Sitting at No. 1 is the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where White is spending his senior year.

The Ascenders are off to a strong start in 2024-25. At a recent showcase called the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest, which was held in Pleasant Grove, Utah, IMG defeated a pair of top-10 foes, the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., and the AZ Compass Prep School in Chandler, Ariz.

In the Ascenders' win against La Lumiere, White earned high marks from national analysts and scouts after finishing with 16 points and five rebounds on 8-of-9 shooting from the field.

On Saturday, Dec. 7, at the National High School Hoops Festival in Hyattsville, Md., IMG will compete against St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., which Biancardi has at No. 23 this week. The St. Paul VI roster features Jordan Smith Jr., a 2026 five-star shooting guard who was an All-American last season as a sophomore.

Smith holds a scholarship offer from the Orange staff and took an unofficial visit to the Hill in late September of this year.

Another Syracuse basketball pledge is on a highly rated squad.

At No. 2 in Biancardi's latest top 25 is Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., where a senior standout is 2025 four-star shooting guard and top-30 national prospect Kiyan Anthony.

White, Anthony, four-star guard Luke Fennell and three-star wing Aaron Womack are officially signed with the 'Cuse in its 2025 cycle, a class that is currently in the top 10 overall per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

For Long Island Lutheran, the Crusaders opened their 2024-25 season at home this past Saturday, defeating the St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., by a final of 74-35. Anthony tallied 16 points, according to posts on X.

Long Island Lutheran also has a huge affair coming up this Saturday at the Sunshine Classic. The Crusaders, on December 7, will play on the road against the juggernaut Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., which in 2023-24 went undefeated and captured the national championship in high school basketball.

Biancardi has Montverde at No. 3 across the country this week. In his latest top 25, top national analyst/scout Samad Hines places Montverde at No. 1, IMG at No. 2 and Long Island Lutheran at No. 5.

All three of these titans in high school hoops are members of the loaded 14-team Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic"). Experts have told me that IMG, Long Island Lutheran and Montverde are big-time contenders to win the EYBL Scholastic regular-season crown and go on deep runs at next spring's season-ending Chipotle Nationals.