Syracuse Basketball: Expectations for the Orange will change without Tyus Battle
Tyus Battle is currently considering whether or not to remain in the 2018 NBA Draft or return to the Syracuse Orange.
Everyone counted out the Syracuse Orange at the start of the NCAA Tournament, due to their status as one of the last teams in. Then, Tyus Battle led the team on an unforgettable run.
He might be leaving for greener, richer pastures this spring. The Orange will be irreparably harmed if he does so.
On Friday, Syracuse announced that Battle was throwing his name into the NBA Draft waters. He did not sign with an agent, however, leaving the door open for a return to the Orange.
That’s good news for Syracuse, who desperately needs his services to make another run next year.
Battle was far and away one of the best players in the entire ACC last year, not just at Syracuse. He averaged 19.2 points per game, which ranked third in the conference. Durability was also a key with Battle, who averaged an astounding 39 minutes per game; he played every minute in the NCAA Tournament.
A Sweet 16 loss to Duke revealed just how essential Battle can be. He scored 19 points, nailing four of his eight attempts from three-point range. He also dished five assists in the four-point loss to the Blue Devils.
Projections for him are all over the place in the NBA, though. Some sites list him as a bonafide first-rounder, while others don’t even
.
If the rising junior returns to school, he returns to a team that can make real waves in 2018-19. The team’s other top players, Oshae Brissett and Frank Howard, are both set to return. They only lose one senior, and he averaged a minute per game.
Too bad Darius Bazley isn’t showing up.
Nevertheless, Syracuse can be slotted into the Sweet 16 again next year…if Tyus Battle comes back.