Syracuse Basketball Recruiting Weekend Preview
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Syracuse basketball is set to host two of its priority targets in the 2022 class. A third priority target is visiting elsewhere. Here is the latest on each.
PETER CAREY - 2022 CENTER
Carey is a late comer to the recruiting cycle and starting picking up power five interest and offers in the late summer. Rutgers was his first, followed by Syracuse. The Orange made Carey a priority immediately and has been recruiting him hard ever since. Carey visited during Elite Camp but did not get a formal tour of the campus, facilities and other aspects of the program. This trip is to experience all of that and make an impression on Carey's parents. Syracuse is the clear leader here and this is a chance to seal the deal.
CHRIS BUNCH - 2022 FORWARD
Bunch took an official visit to Syracuse in June and the Orange appeared to be on the of the top options. When Kamari Lands elected to reopen his recruitment, Bunch became an even more important target. Bunch recently picked up an offer from Washington and took an official there last weekend. The fact that he is willing to take another official to Syracuse right after that trip is significant. This is the Orange's chance to cement itself as the leader and/or close the recruitment. Washington is Syracuse's biggest competition.
JJ STARLING - 2022 GUARD
The dreaded Duke visit is on tap for Starling. The one Syracuse fans have feared since his September visit schedule was announced. Starling is down to five schools and this is his last visit before deciding. A decision is likely to come by mid October. Syracuse is the only school he has visited twice, which is significant. There are behind the scenes rumblings that Duke is a heavy favorite, but sometimes it is prudent to ignore the noise. Those rumblings are not coming from Starling or his camp. Now he may end up choosing Duke and the Blue Devils are a strong contender. But this is not a done deal and Syracuse is a very real player here. Keep in mind that Duke has already recruited over him in 2023 with an elite guard who will start right away. That likely means his path at Duke includes multiple years on the bench before a realistic shot at starting, and even then it would be dependent on who else is recruited. At Syracuse, Starling is a starter right away and is that way until he leaves. There is also something to be said for NIL opportunities as the hometown recruit who stayed home. We will see how this plays out, and it will certainly be an interesting few weeks.