What are some of the top open-ended questions for Syracuse Basketball right now this offseason?
Syracuse Basketball has dealt with a ton of roster turnover this current offseason, despite not having any seniors on scholarship. Leading scorer and best overall player Elijah Hughes elected to enter and stay in the upcoming NBA Draft, while a number of bench players elected to transfer out from the program.
That’s certainly not to say that everything that happened to the Orange this offseason was bad. Hughes is gone but the other four starters from this past season are set to return, something many other programs can say right now. They also landed Illinois transfer Alan Griffin, who they’re hoping to get a waiver to be eligible for 2020-21 and not have to sit out for a year.
Head coach Jim Boeheim also got some wins on the recruiting trail recently. First was four-star big man center Frank Anselem, who reclassified to join the 2020 class. Top-50 forward Benny Williams also committed to the Orange and will be part of the 2021 class.
With the calendar turning towards July, the roster for this team seems all but set. But is it good enough to make it back to the NCAA Tournament? And can they avoid 13+ losses in a season for the first time since 2013 to avoid the pressure and aggravation of being on the bubble?
There’s a lot to discuss for both the roster overall and the head coach as we head into the 2020-21 campaign. Between pressure, expectations, and the program’s future at stake, Syracuse Basketball needs a lot to go right to get back to the Big Dance. Here are specific storylines to remember as the offseason continues.