CBB Rank 2025: No. 58, Syracuse Basketball

It’s a make-or-break year for Syracuse basketball head coach Red Autry, and he’s got his most talented roster from top to bottom since he took over in 2023.

The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Syracuse basketball.

Last season was one of the worst in the history of the Syracuse basketball program. The 14 wins were their fewest in a season since – wait for it – 1969-70. Yeah, that is before Jim Boeheim took over the sidelines.

So, needless to say, the fanbase is a bit impatient with Red Autry, who is just 34-31 in two seasons.

Last year, the biggest problem was defense. Transfers Eddie Lampkin and Jaquan Carlos, and junior Chris Bell continued to get lost on the defensive side of the ball as Syracuse gave up 77.8 PPG.

Offensively, Lampkin provided some sparks as a good passing big man, but Bell also looked lost, and Jyare Davis, Carlos, Lucas Taylor, and more just couldn’t provide enough help next to star guard JJ Starling. It became increasingly more challenging once stud freshman Donnie Freeman went down with a right foot injury and was out the rest of the season.

So this year, the focus had to be on bringing in players that could compliment each other better on offense, and play better team defense.

Obviously, having Starling and a healthy Freeman back is the best start possible. Freeman showed signs up being a legitimate problem for the ACC as a freshman, so there is a lot of intrigue on what he could becoem this year. Rounding out the starting five are pass-first point guard Naithan George from Georgia Tech, former Oregon State sharpshooter Nate Kingz, and William Kyle, who will likely hold down the center spot coming from UCLA.

Right away, George is an upgrade from Carlos, who struggled in ACC play coming from Hofstra. The Georgia Tech transfer led the ACC with 6.5 APG a year ago, so transferring in conference should be no issue for him at all. At 6-3, he’s also a bit bigger than Carlos, so defensively, that should work out better too.

Kingz is coming from Oregon State, where he averaged double-digits in points, but his biggest calling card was being a knockdown shooter from distance. That was supposed to be Chris Bell’s job, but he lost confidence last year and was a big problem defensively. Look at it as an even switch, but for Syracuse’s sake, getting someone who can be more consistent on both ends.

And for William Kyle, it won’t be about scoring – or minutes – as Ibrahim Souare will probably fight for a lot of minutes down low as well. In fact, for both big men, it’ll be about filling a role – rebounding, defending, and helping the other four guys on the court find ways to score. With Donnie Freeman able to bang down low, the Cuse doesn’t necessarily need a center to be a major scorer on this team.

Now for the fun part! The Orange have a big freshman class, but it’s highlighted by stars Sadiq White and Kiyan Anthony, who is better known as the son of Carmelo Anthony. Both players have been hyped up a lot on the recruiting trail and should get some pretty big minutes right away. I wouldn’t even be surprised if White moves to the starting lineup at some point and replaces Kingz. The people are saying he’s that good.

That’s a solid eight-man rotation with transfers Bryce Zephir and Tyler Betsey as the most likely next men up in case of foul trouble. It’s looking like a much more talented roster for Autry to work with, and fewer excuses of a poor season. This is the year the Orange have to make a run at getting back to March Madness.

Head coach: Red Autry (3rd season overall, all at Syracuse)

2024-25 record: 14-19 (7-13)

2025 postseason finish: No postseason

Notable departures: 

• Eddie Lampkin Jr. (11.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 59.6 FG%)
• Jyare Davis (9.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 52.8 FG%, 43.2 3P%)
• Chris Bell (9.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 35.3 3P%)
• Jaquan Carlos (6.2 PPG, 4.1 APG, 2.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG)
• Lucas Taylor (6.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.7 APG, 36.8 3P%)
• Elijah Moore (5.2 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.0 APG)
• Kyle Cuffe Jr. (5.1 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.5 APG)
• Petar Majstorovic (2.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.7 APG)
• Naheem McLeod (2.4 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.2 APG, 82.6 FG%)

Notable non-conference games: 

• vs. Drexel (Nov. 15)
• vs. Houston (Nov. 24) – Players Era Championship
• vs. Kansas (Nov. 25) – Players Era Championship
• Players Era Championship (Nov. 26-27)
• vs. Tennessee (Dec. 2)
• vs. St. Joe’s (Dec. 11)

Projected Rotation

PG: Naithan George (6-3, 185, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 12.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG (Georgia Tech)

SG: JJ Starling (6-4, 206, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.8 APG

SF: Nate Kingz (6-5, 190, Rs.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 11.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 50.4 FG%, 44.6 3P% (Oregon State)

PF: Donnie Freeman (6-9, 205, So.)

2024-25 stats: 13.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 50.4 FG%, 14 GP – Season ending injury

C: William Kyle (6-9, 230, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 2.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.4 APG, 70.4 FG% (UCLA)

6: Sadiq White (6-9, 195, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #30 ranked recruit

7: Ibrahim Souare (6-9, 225, Rs.-So.)

2024-25 stats: 2.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 0.2 APG, 59.7 FG% (Georgia Tech)

8: Kiyan Anthony (6-5, 185, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #34 ranked recruit

9: Bryce Zephir (6-4, 200, Gr.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 5.3 PPG, 2.1 APG, 2.0 RPG (Montana State)

10: Tyler Betsey (6-8, 225, So.)

2024-25 stats: 3.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.3 APG, 35.7 FG% (Cincinnati)

11: Luke Fennell (6-6, 190, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #204 ranked recruit

12: Aaron Womack (6-6, 170, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #348 ranked recruit

13: Tiefing Diawara (7-0, 240, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #407 ranked recruit

Syracuse basketball team MVP: JJ Starling

Before I dive deep into what Starling brings, I want to make it clear that it won’t be the JJ show like it was for most of last year. Guys like Freeman, Kingz, and George will most certainly help out offensively to take some of the burden off Starling’s shoulders.

But there’s also no mistaking who the leader of this team is. Starling is a four-year player, heading into his third season with Syracuse, and closing in on 1,500 career points. He’s one of the best in the ACC in terms of driving to the basket, and although he had a down year last year, he can be a reliable three-point shooter.

This season, it will be interesting to see exactly how Starlings leads this team. I’m expecting him to be the leading scorer again, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Freeman ends up taking over as the season goes along. So we could see a much more efficient Starling, who doesn’t need to attempt 18.5 shots per game (like last year), and could pick his spots a bit more.

Starling also has some point guard traits, although that probably won’t be needed with a guy like George running the show. Regardless, he’s been a star (apologies for the pun), and his senior year could be the perfect blend of getting buckets and doing it at an efficient rate.

Syracuse basketball make-or-break player: Ibrahim Souare

Who can be the spark plug off the bench for the Orange? I’m looking at one of two GTech transfers, Ibrahim Souare.

The 6-9 big man averaged 3.6 rebounds per game in 17 minutes per game as a freshman last year, and while many experts think William Kyle will start at center, I think Souare can push for big minutes there and possibly be the guy to start at the five.

His rebounding numbers are too big to ignore, and in 25-30 minutes per game, he could be a legitimate force in his second year of college basketball.

And that’s exactly what this Syracuse basketball team needs this season. They’ve got guard and wing play and some forwards that can score outside of the paint. But who can control the inside? The talent is minimal, but with Souare, it’s got some potential.

Key analytic: SPG

Syracuse has got to change things on the defensive end, and the easiest way to do so is to force more turnovers.

Last year, the Orange only averaged 4.9 steals per game, 349th in the country. That’s just not sustainable in a power conference, especially when last season they also struggled to score.

This year, I’m expecting much more ball pressure, especially on a team that, without Lampkin, should run the court much better. We could see more turnovers and more points off turnovers, which should translate to a handful of more wins.

Syracuse basketball 2025-26 projections

Projected conference finish: 9th in the ACC

Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Exit