Syracuse men’s basketball’s rebuilt roster is ready to rock

As anyone who wears orange in upstate New York will tell you, Syracuse University is a basketball school. But ever since Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim ended his legendary 47-year career following the 2022-23 season, things have not been the same. 

Last year was an all-time low for the Orange, which finished the regular season 14-19, barely squeezing into the ACC tournament as a 14 seed. 

But this year, with the help of two superstars, a talented freshman class, and six transfers, Syracuse men’s basketball could be trending back toward where they belong. 

At media day on Wednesday afternoon, head coach Adrian Autry said that 2025 brings both a new season and a new team.

“I’ve had two seasons to prepare, to learn from, and to build,” Autry said. “We’re building this program.”

Last year, senior J.J. Starling averaged 17.8 points per game as the team’s go-to guy. On Monday, he was named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-ACC Second Team, also receiving two votes for ACC Preseason Player of the Year. 

There are a lot of expectations for the shooting guard from Baldwinsville, NY., to lead the Orange this year. But Starling doesn’t feel the pressure. 

“At the end of the day, I’m doing something that I love, so I’m not gonna let pressure get to me,” Starling said.

Meanwhile, power sophomore forward Donnie Freeman enters his second season with the Orange following an impressive freshman campaign in which he averaged 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. 

The caveat for Freeman and Starling is injuries, as the two missed a combined 26 games last season. Autry said that cannot happen again this year. 

“We need to be healthy,” he said. “We can’t lose our two best players. We just can’t.”

As far as newcomers, Syracuse boasts a freshman class ranked 17th-best in the nation, according to 247Sports. This year’s five freshmen represent the strongest group of first-year players in the Autry era so far. 

Highlighting the class is Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse icon and NBA Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was the No. 1 recruit in the state of New York, described by Starling as a “microwave scorer” who can “get hot pretty fast”. 

Today, Anthony practices in a facility named after his dad and is constantly compared to the man who led Syracuse to its only national championship in 2003. While many might see that as daunting, the freshman from Long Island Lutheran embraces the pressure and is focused on working hard.

“I look at it as a great opportunity. I kind of tune out everybody else because I know the work I put in,” Anthony said. “Even if I go on a four-game stretch of not playing good, I know I’m gonna be back in the gym that night.”

The other key freshman to watch is Sadiq White Jr., a five-star forward from IMG Academy. Noticeably among the team, White Jr. has already stepped into a leadership role.

“I for sure see myself as a leader on the team,” White said. “When guys are having rough days, I’m there to pick them up. When they’re doing good, I’m there to let them know they’re doing good.”

Additionally, Autry has bolstered his roster with six transfers that cover a wide range of skillsets. 

Naithan George, a proven ACC point guard from Georgia Tech, led the conference in assists per game last season. This year, he hopes to feed Syracuse’s big-time scorers. 

“I feel like Donnie and J.J. could’ve had an even better season if I were able to give them the ball where they needed it,” George said. “So coming here, I just want to do that.”

Tyler Betsey is a 6-foot-8 forward from Cincinnati specializing in 3-pointers. Last season, 72% of his shots were three-point attempts. 

“If I can catch a ball and I can shoot a three, I’m gonna shoot it,” Betsy said. 

Other key members of the transfer class include Nate Kingz, an All-West Coast Conference honorable mention last year at Oregon State, and Ibrahim Souare, a 6-foot-9 sophomore who averaged five rebounds per game in contests he started last year at Georgia Tech.

The new-look Orange will have several big-time opportunities to compete against high-quality competitors, most notably at the inaugural Players Era Tournament Nov. 24-27, where they will face Kansas and Houston in Las Vegas, Nev.

“We’re trying to get back to national prominence. We’re trying to get our program competing against the best,” assistant coach Dan Engelstad said. “So for us, it’s a huge opportunity.”

As a program, Syracuse is trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season. There’s been a lot of letdown in the Dome since that year’s Sweet 16 run. But this year, Anthony promises it will be different. 

“Syracuse basketball this year is going to be a lot of highlights, it’s going to be fun,” Anthony said. “You’re going to see a lot of crowd-energizing moments.”

The Orange play their first exhibition game on Oct. 25 against Buffalo, before tipping off their regular season at home against Binghamton on Nov. 3 at the JMA Wireless Dome.