Syracuse’s decision to join the ACC hasn’t exactly backfired but they haven’t been at the same level of national prominence since those golden days of the Big East. The Orange made that surprise Final Four run in 2016 but that was long before Jim Boeheim retired and handed the keys over to successor Adrian Autry. The first two years for Autry at the helm haven’t been outstanding and a repeat of last season’s 14-19 performance clearly won’t be tolerated.
Several notable departures will be felt, with big men Chris Bell, Jyare Davis, and Eddie Lampkin all gone, indicating a fresh look for the frontcourt. The Orange are delighted to get a senior season from JJ Starling and hope for a healthy second collegiate campaign for Donnie Freeman, the forward who showed great promise before his injury last year. However, the hope for a turnaround comes from the additions made this offseason.
We’re focusing on the transfer portal, but it’s important to note the recruiting class, as Syracuse adds Top 40 prospects in Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White Jr., two players should find important roles. Former Oregon State guard Nate Kingz will provide in the backcourt while both William Kyle III from UCLA and Ibrahim Souare from Georgia Tech give experience to the frontcourt and likely compete for minutes in the paint.
The additions of Anthony and White draw the headlines, especially considering Anthony’s father’s prominence, but Naithan George is the player to watch this offseason. A 6-3 point originally from Arizona, George began his career at Georgia Tech and had two solid seasons for the Yellow Jackets. He’s coming off a sophomore season where he put up 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, really growing not only as a scorer but as a ball distributor who can run a healthy offense.
Syracuse will certainly depend on Starling and those new faces like Anthony and Kingz in the backcourt, but George’s role cannot be understated. His game continues to evolve, but his role setting up those other pieces is very important. He may just be a junior, but he provides some veteran leadership for those talented freshmen and comes from a fellow ACC school: he has experience in this league and knows how to create. Starling and Anthony will be buckets and should get attention but George will play a major role setting them up.
The total expectations are somewhat unclear as Syracuse has accumulated intriguing talent, both young and experienced. This team floundered last season and a healthy bounce back year should get them back into the top half of the ACC. If they’re going to make a realistic run at a return to the Big Dance then they’ll need George back in form. Don’t be surprised if he leads the ACC in assists per game for a second season in a row.