High school prospects with ties to Syracuse basketball are on a national player of the year watch list as the 2024-25 season begins.
Not long ago, 50 high school players were included to the watch list for this season’s Naismith Trophy national player of the year. This list includes two Orange commits, a notable target, and several former ‘Cuse recruits.
From a Syracuse basketball recruitment standpoint, the standouts are 2025 four-star shooting guard and top-30 national prospect Kiyan Anthony, 2025 five-star forward and top-15 national prospect Sadiq White Jr., and 2026 five-star shooting guard and top-10 national prospect Jordan Smith Jr.
Syracuse basketball recruits are in the running for national player of the year.
Anthony, a 6-foot-5 senior at Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, New York, chose Syracuse over Southern California last week. He is the son of Carmelo Anthony, a Syracuse basketball legend.
In late May, the 6-foot-8 White chose the Orange over Alabama, Southern California, Georgetown, LSU, Tennessee, and Texas. White is a senior at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
According to SU Athletics, Kiyan Anthony and White have officially signed with Syracuse basketball in the national top-10 class for the 2025 cycle. They are joined by four-star guard Luke Fennell from Melbourne, Australia, and three-star wing Aaron Womack from the Milwaukee area.
The 6-foot-3 Smith, who has a scholarship offer from Syracuse and informally visited the Hill in late September, is an All-American junior at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Virginia. Smith is the Orange staff’s top priority for the 2026 class.
Another significant target for the ‘Cuse in the 2026 cycle is Alex Constanza, a five-star guard/small forward and top-15 national talent with an Orange offer. The 6-foot-8 Constanza, who visited Syracuse basketball about a month ago, is an All-American junior at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
To be honest, I was surprised Constanza was not included on the Naismith Trophy national player of the year watch list.
Constanza is currently exploring a move to the 2025 class, according to his father, and the Orange is the front-runner.
Former Syracuse basketball recruiting targets who made the cut for this 50-person watch list include Shon Abaev, Darius Adams (UConn), Niko Bundalo, Chris Cenac Jr., Jerry Easter II, London Jemison (Alabama), Acaden Lewis (Kentucky), Malachi Moreno (Kentucky), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and Keyshuan Tillery (Cincinnati).
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