5 center portal targets that make sense for Syracuse Basketball

Gerry McNamara is a defensive-minded head coach. At his introductory press conference, McNamara said he wants players who show effort and discipline on that end of the court. Siena ranked top 60 in opponents field goal percentage this past season.

In order to do that successfully in the ACC, he is going to need someone to disrupt shots around the rim. For as many faults as Adrian Autry had as a coach, he found a great rim protector for his team in William Kyle. The UCLA transfer ranked eighth in blocks per game this past season.

Unfortunately, Kyle is out of eligibility and Syracuse does not have much on the roster in terms of proven talent at center. Siena transfer Tasman Goodrick committed to the Orange on Wednesday, but he only played nine games for the Saints before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Goodrick should be a solid contributor, but is unlikely to start. On top of that, Ibrahim Souare announced he would be entering the portal. McNamara likely needs to go to the portal (again) to find his new starter for next season.

Who could Syracuse target?

If he is willing to stay in the ACC, Mouhamed Sylla would be an excellent option for the Orange. The 7-foot-2 freshman averaged 9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16 games for Georgia Tech before missing the rest of the season with a foot injury. He lacks much shooting ability, hitting just one 3-pointer on four attempts this season and shooting 42.1 percent from the free-throw line. He will be highly sought after, given his size and youth.

Drew Fielder could easily top the list here. He is a former four-star recruit who spent two years at Georgetown before transferring to Boise State for this past season. Syracuse was interested in Fielder as a recruit back in 2023, extending him an offer. McNamara was still on the staff at that point. He was Boise’s leading scorer and earned second-team All-Mountain West honors. He is not the same shot-blocking presence in the paint as others on this list, but he can stretch the floor and provide a ton of offensive upside while still doing enough defensively.

Chol Machot does not have the same ties to McNamara, but the 7-foot sophomore is coming off a solid season for Charleston. He was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 2.5 blocks per game this past season, which was the ninth most in the country this past season. He only played about 20 minutes per game this past season, so he would likely need to be part of a rotation rather than a bona fide starter, but his rim-protecting presence makes him an appealing option.

How about the Big East?

Stealing from a former Big East foe is always a fun move. Najai Hines is among the players linked to SU. Hines would be an excellent addition. He averaged 2.2 blocks per game in just 18 minutes of play. The New Jersey native could be part of a rotation and provide some much-needed shot blocking with Kyle on his way out. At 6’11”, he is an imposing figure and shoots well enough from the free-throw line (69 percent) to not be a liability on the floor.

After a year at East Arizona College and then another at Providence, Anton Bonke transferred to Charlotte and had a breakout season for the 49ers. Listed at 7’2”, he is a massive presence in the middle with enough range to keep defenders honest. He shot 34 percent from behind the arc this season. While not as prolific a shot blocker as Machot or Hines, he is a proven rebounder, averaging 8.3 per game, the fourth-best mark in the American.

SUPPORT THE JUICE ONLINE

Follow us on Twitter @TheJuiceOnline, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @SUJuiceOnline and listen to our podcast.