Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the Franco-Mexican War. The day is a minor, regional holiday in Mexico, being mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla where the city of Puebla is the capital. Military parades, speeches, and reenactments of the battle are held there. It is also celebrated in Veracruz and Mexico City, but in many other places of Mexico, May 5th is no different than any other day.
Mike’s Mailbox has been dominated this offseason with questions about player movement and roster management.
That’s not going to change any time soon. The transfer portal is blending right into the NBA draft with both playing huge roles in what type of team new Syracuse coach Adrian Autry will field in his debut season.
We’ve got lots of questions about both the portal and the draft. As always, if you have any college basketball-related questions, please email to mwaters@syracuse.com.
Q: How does the uncertainty of whether Judah Mintz will stay in the NBA draft or return to Syracuse impact Syracuse with regards to recruiting players in the transfer portal?
Mike F.
Mike: Syracuse guard Judah Mintz has entered his name in the NBA draft, while retaining the ability to return to school. The NBA draft takes place on June 22, but the key date for SU fans to watch is May 31.
Players have until 11:59 p.m. on May 31 to withdraw from the draft.
Mintz figures to participate in the NBA combine in Chicago, but it remains to be seen if he’ll receive an invite to the G-League combine, which starts on May 13, or the NBA combine, which starts on May 15.
The uncertainty surrounding Mintz’s status hasn’t prevented Syracuse from adding two highly regarded guards in the transfer portal – JJ Starling of Notre Dame and Chance Westry of Auburn.
What could end up being a problem for the SU coaches is if they would look to pursue a guard in the portal before Mintz makes his decision.
Players have to enter the portal by May 11; however, once in the portal, they can take their time before picking their next school. The Syracuse coaches might be able to find a guard suitable to their needs after May 31 in the event Mintz stays in the draft.
Q: If Mintz leaves and we don’t land a seasoned guard out of the portal, it seems to me we are very thin. What are the Cuse’s options?
David W.
Mike: The Syracuse coaches have kept quiet regarding what they might do in the event Mintz stays in the NBA draft. I believe this is to give Mintz the time and space to make a well-informed decision.
But let’s say Mintz stays in the draft. The first impulse is to rush out and find a replacement.
But if there aren’t any good options, is Syracuse really that thin in the backcourt?
Auburn transfer Chance Westry is a multi-positional player who stands 6-foot-6 and is an excellent ball-handler. Notre Dame transfer JJ Starling can handle the ball, but seems to be a natural off-guard.
And don’t forget Quadir Copeland. The SU coaches recruited him a year ago as a point guard. The 6-foot-6 Copeland didn’t play much as a freshman with Mintz and Joe Girard taking most of the backcourt minutes. What time he did get came at the small forward spot. But should Mintz leave, Copeland could get a shot at the point guard job.
And in terms of backcourt depth, Justin Taylor and Chris Bell, who played mostly at the three as freshmen, have the shooting ability to shift to the shooting guard position.
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Nigel James, a 2025 point guard who hails from New York state and plays ball for Massachusetts prep-school and AAU teams, said in a recent interview that he’d like to see Syracuse basketball coaches get involved in his recruitment.
Given how the 6-foot James, a sophomore, has played so far in the early goings of the AAU circuit during the spring and summer months, I’m hopeful that the Orange will ultimately offer a scholarship to this young man, who shines on the court and off the court as well.
Lately, I’ve come across numerous comments from national recruiting analysts and scouts that speak to the strong performances that James has produced in grassroots basketball, including when two NCAA live periods occurred on the AAU circuit in late April.
Best point guard in 2025. Nigel James is a high major kid. D1s should be blowing him up nonstop. Watch what he does to the circuit this year! Don’t be afraid to make the first move coaches. pic.twitter.com/hiXI8XF1QD
— New England Basketball (@RecruitsNE) April 9, 2023
James attends the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass. In grassroots basketball, he is a standout for the 16U team of the Boston-based Expressions Elite in Nike’s EYBL league.
I’d love to see Syracuse basketball offer underrated 2025 point guard Nigel James.
Last month, amid two live periods, the EYBL held games first in Emerson, Ga., and then in Mesa, Ariz. According to the EYBL Web site, during those contests, James averaged 15.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for Expressions Elite, while hitting on 46.4 percent from the field and 79.1 percent from the free-throw line.
I have every confidence that as recruiting services update their 2025 national rankings in the coming months, James will emerge as a four-star, top-100 national player, if not higher than that.
In a recent interview with scouting service Pro Insight, James mentioned a few teams that he’d like to hear from, including Syracuse basketball, Villanova and UConn, which last month won the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
At present, James’ early offer sheet includes Marquette, Providence, Manhattan, UMass, Saint Joseph’s and UAB. He also is garnering interest from squads such as Iowa State, Iowa, Rhode Island, George Mason, Northwestern and Creighton.
In mid-June of this year, college coaches can start initiating direct contact with 2025 prospects. At that time, I’m sure James will see his offer list balloon, and to reiterate, I’d love to see Syracuse basketball get into the mix.
@NikeEYB Session 2 Notes
‘25 G Nigel James continues his dominant play, this time in Phoenix. Lightning fast guard who gets downhill fast with his ball-handling and quick first step. Another guard from New England to look out for. pic.twitter.com/hWkKuSNaeh
— Alex Walulik (@alex_walulik) April 29, 2023
James, who was born in New York City and grew up in the town of Huntington on Long Island, is a versatile three-level scorer who shines at getting into the paint and finishing through contact, according to recruiting analysts and scouts.
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Ashton Smith, who held a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer as a three-star big man in the 2021 recruiting cycle, is hitting the NCAA’s transfer portal.
Per On3 national analyst Jamie Shaw, the 6-foot-9 power forward/center out of Southeastern Conference member Texas A&M has entered the transfer portal.
Before A&M
Ranked as a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite … Tabbed as the No. 216 player nationally and No. 30 center in the country … Ranked as the No. 10 player in the state of Texas … Rated as a three-star by Rivals and the No. 33 center in the country … Transferred to Legacy The School of Sports Sciences after beginning his high school career at Nimitz.
Personal
Has a very strong basketball background as his mother played at North Texas, father played at Houston, uncle played at Syracuse and his grandfather, Lucious Jackson, was the fourth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft and played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
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As the NBA Playoffs move along, we felt it was time to recap the seasons for former Syracuse Orange players in the NBA and G League.
Leading the way was Jerami Grant who had one of his best seasons in his first year for the Portland Trailblazers. Grant averaged 20.5 points per game on 47.5% shooting, including his first season over 40% from 3. Jerami started all 63 games he appeared in this season and averaged a career-high of 35.7 minutes per game. As he heads into unrestricted free agency, Grant should garner strong interest this summer.
Oshae Brissett appeared in 65 games for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer and with the Pacers in a rebuild, it will be interesting to see if they let Oshae explore other options.
Buddy Boeheim got some late-season run with the Detroit Pistons. Buddy appeared in 10 games but struggled shooting as he hit only 4-25 from deep. In his 18 games with Motor City in the G League, Boeheim averaged 12.1 points per game and shot 37.4% from 3. Detroit is looking to add a high draft pick again this summer so if Buddy can be more effective shooting he could stick in a bench role next year.
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Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Adrian Autry joins Steve and Paulie for an impromptu chat where the guys discuss all the hot topics of the offseason for the Orange.
Change isn’t easy to deal with. Syracuse Orange fans have had to try and handle a lot of change over the last year as NCAA sports have been impacted by NIL and the transfer portal.
One common theme that I’ve seen come up online is the notion that the Orange are somehow dealing with more departures than other schools. There’s a belief that it’s all NIL-related and that Syracuse can’t (or won’t) compete in today’s market. That might be true in certain cases, but it seems that a portion of the fanbase has come to take every departure as evidence of this.
It certainly didn’t help when Jesse Edwards made his awkward comments about Syracuse’s attempts. “NIL isn’t what I’m playing for. I didn’t really want to get into this, but it doesn’t seem that Syracuse as an organization is that into that. I’m not really sure what their plan is or what the school’s idea is behind it. For me it was something that they couldn’t offer in that way.”
... College basketball transfer portal rankings 2023: Kansas lands former Michigan star Hunter Dickinson )cbssports.com; Cobb)
Hunter Dickinson announced Thursday that he is committed to Kansas, capping a whirlwind recruitment for the top transfer in the country. Dickinson also considered Maryland, Kentucky, Villanova and Georgetown after sending shockwaves through the sport with his decision to enter the portal after three standout seasons at Michigan.
A 7-foot-1 behemoth, Dickinson earned All-Big Ten honors in all three of his seasons with the Wolverines and immediately legitimizes Kansas as a national contender for the 2023-24 season amid the departures of leading scorers Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick to the NBA Draft.
Dickinson averaged 18.5 points, 9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for Michigan this past season while staying out of foul trouble and showing improved touch from the outside. Though the paint is where Dickinson does most of his damage, he upped his 3-point shooting percentage to 42.1% this past season on 1.7 attempts per game.
Kansas played an undersized style for much of last season with K.J. Adams logging significant action at the five despite being just 6-foot-7. With Dickinson, a schematic shift will be in order for the Jayhawks, who suddenly find themselves in possession of one of college basketball's most proven centers.
Well over 1,000 Division I players have entered the portal and plenty of player movement is ahead before 2023-24 rosters will be settled. Here at CBS Sports, we have distilled the massive number of transfers to a list of the top 45 names to know. This list will evolve and player rankings will change as the May 11 deadline for players to enter the portal approaches.
Dickinson is one of the best big men in college basketball. At 7-foot-1 and with a well-built frame, he can outmuscle most opponents on the block, protect the rim and rebound. He also continued demonstrating the ability to hit 3-pointers during the 2022-23 season while earning All-Big Ten honors for a third straight year. The Maryland native is a fiery competitor and proven veteran who immediately legitimizes Kansas as a national contender for the 2023-24 season.
Abmas ranks No. 16 all-time for made 3-pointers and is a career 38.8% shooter on 8.8 attempts per game. The 6-1 guard won Summit League Player of the Year twice and also has experience playing beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Even amid an uptick in competition in the Big 12, it is easy to envision Abmas raining 3-pointers as the first or second scoring option for Texas. He has defensive limitations but has plenty of offensive firepower to be a positive addition to the starting lineup of a Longhorns squad that is losing leading scorer Marcus Carr from its backcourt.
Ware played just 15.8 minutes per game as a freshman at Oregon after ranking as the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The 7-footer blocked 1.3 shots per game in that limited action, though, and was effective offensively inside the arc. He also showed some signs of potential as a 3-point shooter. There was a logjam in the Ducks' frontcourt, and Ware should be able to make an immediate impact as a rim protector and secondary offensive weapon at his new school. Ware has three seasons of eligibility remaining, but could be off to the NBA before using them all if things go well at his next stop.
Cryer made 42.5% of his 3-point attempts over 70 games in three seasons with Baylor. The 6-1 guard started all 31 games he played in for the Bears during the 2022-23 season, and would have scored even more than his 15 points per game if not for the fact that he was sharing the backcourt with high-quality guards Adam Flagler and Keyonte George. He is not a great defender but can play on or off the ball and provide a serious offensive spark for Houston with his outside shooting. As the Cougars transition to the Big 12, his experience in the league will be a nice boost.
Mark started every game for Houston during the 2022-23 season, playing a key role on a team that spent several weeks at No. 1. The 6-5 guard is a great defender who averaged 10.1 points over the past two seasons. Though he is just a 30% career 3-point shooter, he has the tools and pedigree to be an impact player for an Arkansas program that thrives with transfers. Mark is also going through the NBA's pre-draft process and could elect to end his college career. But if he does stick with Arkansas, he'll be a key player.
Nembhard averaged 12.1 points per game in the 2022-23 season and dished out 4.8 assists per contest. He is the younger brother of former Florida and Gonzaga point guard Andrew Nembhard but quickly made a name for himself while winning Big East Freshman of the Year honors for the 2021-22 season. He is a true point guard with two seasons of eligibility remaining and excellent experience as the lead facilitator for a pair of Creighton teams that won games in the NCAA Tournament. He will be instrumental in helping the Zags reclaim the backcourt prowess that coach Mark Few has been missing the past couple seasons.
Kriisa started at point guard for the past two seasons at Arizona as the Wildcats became an offensive juggernaut under coach Tommy Lloyd. His strengths are 3-point shooting and facilitating as he made 36.6% of his 3-pointers and dished out 5.1 assists for the Pac-12 Tournament champions in 2022-23. Aside from his perimeter shooting, Kriisa is limited as a scorer, and he's not a plus defender. But, in total, he's a proven point guard and great pickup for a West Virginia team replacing starting guards Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson.
Edwards finished third in scoring for Syracuse in 2022-23 at 14.5 points per game, led the ACC in blocks per game at 2.7 and finished second behind Armando Bacot of North Carolina in rebounding with 10.4 boards per contest. The 6-11 native of the Netherlands has just one season of eligibility remaining after four seasons with the Orange, but he should be able to make that year count as an impact player at West Virginia. Though he's not an outside threat or much of a passer, he thrives doing everything else you could want from a big.
Tyson is the epitome of an all-around player and one of the most underrated two-way wings in the sport after averaging 10.7 points and 6.1 rebounds on 53.8% 2-point shooting and 40.2% 3-point shooting during the 2022-23 season. He also ranked as Texas Tech's best defender, according to evanmiya.com, while collecting 1.4 steals per contest. The former top-40 prospect began his career at Texas in the 2021-22 season but played sparingly before showing this past season why he was so highly regarded as a prospect.
It's possible that a change of scenery is all Ingram needs to recapture the NBA Draft buzz he once enjoyed as a five-star prospect from the Class of 2021. At 6-8, he's a versatile forward who can play on the block or step out and hit 3-pointers. He's also a savvy passer who can facilitate the offense. Ingram averaged 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in two seasons with the Cardinal. If he can bring up his career 62.9% free-throw shooting and 31.6% 3-point shooting percentage, Ingram can be a high-impact starter for the Tar Heels.
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A Syracuse nonprofit plans to break ground this year on a $31 million housing development that will bring 52 new affordable apartments to scattered sites on the South and Southwest sides of the city.
Gov. Kathy Hochul today announced critical state funding for the project known as Creekside Landing. The Syracuse project is one of 27 funded around the state for a total of $875 million.
Syracuse nonprofit Housing Visions will fund its project with a combination of low-income housing tax credits, grants and loans from the state, said Ben Lockwood, president and CEO. In addition, the city of Syracuse is providing $5 million and private investors will supply about $14 million, he said.
The biggest single piece of the development involves renovation of a vacant three-story building at 416 W. Onondaga St. into a combination of offices and apartments.
The ground floor will house a workforce training office run by Jubilee Homes, plus other office space. The upper two floors will include 20 one-bedroom apartments that will rent for between $630 and $728 a month, Lockwood said.
The project also includes 16 two-family homes at scattered vacant lots: two in the 300 block of Shonnard Street; two in the 500 block of West Colvin Street; two in the 200 block of West Beard Avenue; five near the intersection of Beard and Midland Avenues; and five near the intersection of Midland Avenue and West Colvin Street.
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(instagram)
We didn't win on College Night but...we had a lot of fun.
Paella mariscos for three to four people at Otro Cinco, Syracuse, N.Y. Paella was one of Otro's signature dishes. Jared Paventi | jaredpaventi@gma
Owner Johanna Yorke confirmed the permanent closing in an email to syracuse.com today. The restaurant at 266 S. Warren St. had shut down April 15, but Yorke said at that time it was just temporary. She said then she planned to reopen this summer with a “refurbished” look.
Today’s message from Yorke reads: “Just letting you know Otro is closed and will not reopen. Kind of sad but it was a pretty good ten years. ... Hard decision to make.”
In a follow-up email, she said the closing was due to “kind of a host of reasons but mainly just ready for some change in my life and grateful for all the good times. Certainly challenging ... operating a restaurant these days and trying to offer a good meal and staying out of the red.”
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A noted thought leader in student affairs, a transformative higher education president, a celebrated ceramic artist and a global business executive and philanthropist will be recognized with honorary degrees from Syracuse University at the 2023 Commencement on Sunday, May 14, at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The late Cerri Banks ’00, G’04, G’06, who served as the University’s vice president and deputy to the senior vice president of student experience; Michael Crow G’85, president of Arizona State University; David R. MacDonald, artist and professor emeritus of ceramics; and Kathleen A. Walters ’73, retired executive vice president of Georgia-Pacific and the first woman to serve as chair of the University Board of Trustees, will be honored for their outstanding achievements in their professional careers and the difference they have made in the lives of others.
Cerri A. Banks ’00, G’04, G’06
Doctor of Humane Letters (posthumously)
An outstanding leader in student affairs and a scholar-practitioner of education, Banks dedicated her life’s work to the betterment of the student experience. Banks passed away on July 31, 2022; Banks’ parents, Deryk and Cynthia Banks, will be accepting her honorary degree at Commencement.
Banks had a lifetime legacy at Syracuse University: as an engaged alumna, a staunch supporter of her cherished School of Education and the University, and a beloved leader and mentor in the Student Experience division. She was a thought leader in the field of student affairs, recognized for her work at the intersection of scholarship and practice, teaching and research, academic affairs, and student affairs.
A three-time graduate of Syracuse University, Banks earned a bachelor’s degree in inclusive elementary and special education, a master’s degree in cultural foundations of education and a Ph.D. in cultural foundations of education, all from the School of Education, along with a certificate of advanced study in women’s and gender studies from the College of Arts and Sciences. Her doctoral research focused on student engagement and belonging, examining how Black women undergraduates found ways to succeed on predominantly white college campuses.
From there, her research, scholarship and leadership continued to develop and deepen into an exemplary professional life of service to student affairs and success. Before returning to Syracuse University in 2021 as vice president for student success and deputy to the senior vice president of student experience, Banks had been Skidmore College’s dean of students and vice president for student affairs for nearly five years, overseeing all student services, serving on the president’s cabinet and overseeing the bias response group and the COVID-19 campus planning and response. She served in similar positions at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and at William Smith College in Geneva, New York, where she was also director of the President’s Commission on Inclusive Excellence.
Once at Syracuse, Banks quickly made an impact on the student experience and on Universitywide initiatives through leadership roles involving critical initiatives. In addition to her role with Student Experience, Banks served as a member of the three-person interim leadership team charged with advancing the University’s diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility priorities and strategic planning efforts. She co-chaired the search for a new chief diversity officer and played a crucial role in creating open lines of communication between students and administration, serving as a fierce advocate and a mentor for students. As an alumna, she established a national mentoring presence and skillfully chaired the School of Education Board of Visitors for eight years, playing a key role in the school’s redesign.
Banks was a highly respected and internationally recognized academic leader and a prolific scholar. Among her published works were “Black Women Undergraduates, Cultural Capital and College Success,” “Teaching, Learning and Intersecting Identities in Higher Education” and “No Justice! No Peace! College Student Activism, Race Relations and Media Cultures,” as well as numerous articles, book chapters and presentations on culturally relevancy, identity and learning, and other subjects.
Michael Crow G’85
Doctor of Science
A knowledge enterprise architect and science and technology policy scholar, Crow has led Arizona State University (ASU) through a transformation of academic innovation and educational accessibility that has made him known nationwide as a leader in the evolution of higher education. Crow became the 16th president of Arizona State University in July 2002 and since then the university has seen rapid growth in traditional, online and international student enrollment, retention and research—all while evolving the academic enterprise to meet the changing needs of students, especially those from underrepresented groups.
During his now more than two decades at ASU, the University’s enrollment grew from 55,000 to 80,000 students, with a dedicated commitment to increased diversity. Its substantial Hispanic enrollment has earned it a Department of Education designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Under President Crow, ASU, which is a Carnegie R1 University, has seen a nearly fivefold growth in research expenditures, and currently ranks 17th in federal expenditures. For its dramatic growth and modernization, ASU has been recognized as one of the top 100 most prestigious universities in the world by Times Higher Education, and a top 100 position in Shanghai Jiao Tong’s 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Under Crow’s leadership, ASU has established 25 new transdisciplinary schools, including the School of Earth and Space Exploration, the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and launched trailblazing multidisciplinary initiatives, including the Biodesign Institute, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, and initiatives in the humanities and social sciences.
Crow, who earned a Ph.D. in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental studies at Iowa State University, began building his distinguished academic career in various roles at Iowa State and Columbia University. At Columbia, he served as director of the Earth Institute, a collaboration of dozens of research centers and programs at the university and one of the nation’s leading resources on climate change, university vice provost and associate vice provost for science and engineering. At Iowa State, he was director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology and director of the Office of Science Policy and Research. Throughout his career, including now as ASU president, he continues to teach and conduct research, staying grounded in the mission of higher education.
Crow has been recognized by his peers as an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Public Administration and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published numerous books and articles analyzing knowledge enterprises, science and technology policy, and the design of higher education institutions. His expertise has been tapped by the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce and Energy, as well as defense and intelligence agencies.
David R. MacDonald
Doctor of Fine Arts
An internationally renowned artist and professor emeritus of ceramics in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), MacDonald uses clay as a medium for exploring the form and function of utilitarian vessels, his African heritage, themes of anger and injustice, and the indomitable nature of the human spirit.
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Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the Franco-Mexican War. The day is a minor, regional holiday in Mexico, being mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla where the city of Puebla is the capital. Military parades, speeches, and reenactments of the battle are held there. It is also celebrated in Veracruz and Mexico City, but in many other places of Mexico, May 5th is no different than any other day.
Mike’s Mailbox has been dominated this offseason with questions about player movement and roster management.
That’s not going to change any time soon. The transfer portal is blending right into the NBA draft with both playing huge roles in what type of team new Syracuse coach Adrian Autry will field in his debut season.
We’ve got lots of questions about both the portal and the draft. As always, if you have any college basketball-related questions, please email to mwaters@syracuse.com.
Q: How does the uncertainty of whether Judah Mintz will stay in the NBA draft or return to Syracuse impact Syracuse with regards to recruiting players in the transfer portal?
Mike F.
Mike: Syracuse guard Judah Mintz has entered his name in the NBA draft, while retaining the ability to return to school. The NBA draft takes place on June 22, but the key date for SU fans to watch is May 31.
Players have until 11:59 p.m. on May 31 to withdraw from the draft.
Mintz figures to participate in the NBA combine in Chicago, but it remains to be seen if he’ll receive an invite to the G-League combine, which starts on May 13, or the NBA combine, which starts on May 15.
The uncertainty surrounding Mintz’s status hasn’t prevented Syracuse from adding two highly regarded guards in the transfer portal – JJ Starling of Notre Dame and Chance Westry of Auburn.
What could end up being a problem for the SU coaches is if they would look to pursue a guard in the portal before Mintz makes his decision.
Players have to enter the portal by May 11; however, once in the portal, they can take their time before picking their next school. The Syracuse coaches might be able to find a guard suitable to their needs after May 31 in the event Mintz stays in the draft.
Q: If Mintz leaves and we don’t land a seasoned guard out of the portal, it seems to me we are very thin. What are the Cuse’s options?
David W.
Mike: The Syracuse coaches have kept quiet regarding what they might do in the event Mintz stays in the NBA draft. I believe this is to give Mintz the time and space to make a well-informed decision.
But let’s say Mintz stays in the draft. The first impulse is to rush out and find a replacement.
But if there aren’t any good options, is Syracuse really that thin in the backcourt?
Auburn transfer Chance Westry is a multi-positional player who stands 6-foot-6 and is an excellent ball-handler. Notre Dame transfer JJ Starling can handle the ball, but seems to be a natural off-guard.
And don’t forget Quadir Copeland. The SU coaches recruited him a year ago as a point guard. The 6-foot-6 Copeland didn’t play much as a freshman with Mintz and Joe Girard taking most of the backcourt minutes. What time he did get came at the small forward spot. But should Mintz leave, Copeland could get a shot at the point guard job.
And in terms of backcourt depth, Justin Taylor and Chris Bell, who played mostly at the three as freshmen, have the shooting ability to shift to the shooting guard position.
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Nigel James, a 2025 point guard who hails from New York state and plays ball for Massachusetts prep-school and AAU teams, said in a recent interview that he’d like to see Syracuse basketball coaches get involved in his recruitment.
Given how the 6-foot James, a sophomore, has played so far in the early goings of the AAU circuit during the spring and summer months, I’m hopeful that the Orange will ultimately offer a scholarship to this young man, who shines on the court and off the court as well.
Lately, I’ve come across numerous comments from national recruiting analysts and scouts that speak to the strong performances that James has produced in grassroots basketball, including when two NCAA live periods occurred on the AAU circuit in late April.
James attends the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass. In grassroots basketball, he is a standout for the 16U team of the Boston-based Expressions Elite in Nike’s EYBL league.
I’d love to see Syracuse basketball offer underrated 2025 point guard Nigel James.
Last month, amid two live periods, the EYBL held games first in Emerson, Ga., and then in Mesa, Ariz. According to the EYBL Web site, during those contests, James averaged 15.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for Expressions Elite, while hitting on 46.4 percent from the field and 79.1 percent from the free-throw line.
I have every confidence that as recruiting services update their 2025 national rankings in the coming months, James will emerge as a four-star, top-100 national player, if not higher than that.
In a recent interview with scouting service Pro Insight, James mentioned a few teams that he’d like to hear from, including Syracuse basketball, Villanova and UConn, which last month won the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
At present, James’ early offer sheet includes Marquette, Providence, Manhattan, UMass, Saint Joseph’s and UAB. He also is garnering interest from squads such as Iowa State, Iowa, Rhode Island, George Mason, Northwestern and Creighton.
In mid-June of this year, college coaches can start initiating direct contact with 2025 prospects. At that time, I’m sure James will see his offer list balloon, and to reiterate, I’d love to see Syracuse basketball get into the mix.
James, who was born in New York City and grew up in the town of Huntington on Long Island, is a versatile three-level scorer who shines at getting into the paint and finishing through contact, according to recruiting analysts and scouts.
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Ashton Smith, who held a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer as a three-star big man in the 2021 recruiting cycle, is hitting the NCAA’s transfer portal.
Per On3 national analyst Jamie Shaw, the 6-foot-9 power forward/center out of Southeastern Conference member Texas A&M has entered the transfer portal.
Before A&M
Ranked as a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite … Tabbed as the No. 216 player nationally and No. 30 center in the country … Ranked as the No. 10 player in the state of Texas … Rated as a three-star by Rivals and the No. 33 center in the country … Transferred to Legacy The School of Sports Sciences after beginning his high school career at Nimitz.
Personal
Has a very strong basketball background as his mother played at North Texas, father played at Houston, uncle played at Syracuse and his grandfather, Lucious Jackson, was the fourth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft and played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
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As the NBA Playoffs move along, we felt it was time to recap the seasons for former Syracuse Orange players in the NBA and G League.
Leading the way was Jerami Grant who had one of his best seasons in his first year for the Portland Trailblazers. Grant averaged 20.5 points per game on 47.5% shooting, including his first season over 40% from 3. Jerami started all 63 games he appeared in this season and averaged a career-high of 35.7 minutes per game. As he heads into unrestricted free agency, Grant should garner strong interest this summer.
Oshae Brissett appeared in 65 games for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer and with the Pacers in a rebuild, it will be interesting to see if they let Oshae explore other options.
Buddy Boeheim got some late-season run with the Detroit Pistons. Buddy appeared in 10 games but struggled shooting as he hit only 4-25 from deep. In his 18 games with Motor City in the G League, Boeheim averaged 12.1 points per game and shot 37.4% from 3. Detroit is looking to add a high draft pick again this summer so if Buddy can be more effective shooting he could stick in a bench role next year.
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Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Adrian Autry joins Steve and Paulie for an impromptu chat where the guys discuss all the hot topics of the offseason for the Orange.
Change isn’t easy to deal with. Syracuse Orange fans have had to try and handle a lot of change over the last year as NCAA sports have been impacted by NIL and the transfer portal.
One common theme that I’ve seen come up online is the notion that the Orange are somehow dealing with more departures than other schools. There’s a belief that it’s all NIL-related and that Syracuse can’t (or won’t) compete in today’s market. That might be true in certain cases, but it seems that a portion of the fanbase has come to take every departure as evidence of this.
It certainly didn’t help when Jesse Edwards made his awkward comments about Syracuse’s attempts. “NIL isn’t what I’m playing for. I didn’t really want to get into this, but it doesn’t seem that Syracuse as an organization is that into that. I’m not really sure what their plan is or what the school’s idea is behind it. For me it was something that they couldn’t offer in that way.”
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Hunter Dickinson announced Thursday that he is committed to Kansas, capping a whirlwind recruitment for the top transfer in the country. Dickinson also considered Maryland, Kentucky, Villanova and Georgetown after sending shockwaves through the sport with his decision to enter the portal after three standout seasons at Michigan.
A 7-foot-1 behemoth, Dickinson earned All-Big Ten honors in all three of his seasons with the Wolverines and immediately legitimizes Kansas as a national contender for the 2023-24 season amid the departures of leading scorers Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick to the NBA Draft.
Dickinson averaged 18.5 points, 9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for Michigan this past season while staying out of foul trouble and showing improved touch from the outside. Though the paint is where Dickinson does most of his damage, he upped his 3-point shooting percentage to 42.1% this past season on 1.7 attempts per game.
Kansas played an undersized style for much of last season with K.J. Adams logging significant action at the five despite being just 6-foot-7. With Dickinson, a schematic shift will be in order for the Jayhawks, who suddenly find themselves in possession of one of college basketball's most proven centers.
Well over 1,000 Division I players have entered the portal and plenty of player movement is ahead before 2023-24 rosters will be settled. Here at CBS Sports, we have distilled the massive number of transfers to a list of the top 45 names to know. This list will evolve and player rankings will change as the May 11 deadline for players to enter the portal approaches.
Dickinson is one of the best big men in college basketball. At 7-foot-1 and with a well-built frame, he can outmuscle most opponents on the block, protect the rim and rebound. He also continued demonstrating the ability to hit 3-pointers during the 2022-23 season while earning All-Big Ten honors for a third straight year. The Maryland native is a fiery competitor and proven veteran who immediately legitimizes Kansas as a national contender for the 2023-24 season.
Abmas ranks No. 16 all-time for made 3-pointers and is a career 38.8% shooter on 8.8 attempts per game. The 6-1 guard won Summit League Player of the Year twice and also has experience playing beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Even amid an uptick in competition in the Big 12, it is easy to envision Abmas raining 3-pointers as the first or second scoring option for Texas. He has defensive limitations but has plenty of offensive firepower to be a positive addition to the starting lineup of a Longhorns squad that is losing leading scorer Marcus Carr from its backcourt.
Ware played just 15.8 minutes per game as a freshman at Oregon after ranking as the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The 7-footer blocked 1.3 shots per game in that limited action, though, and was effective offensively inside the arc. He also showed some signs of potential as a 3-point shooter. There was a logjam in the Ducks' frontcourt, and Ware should be able to make an immediate impact as a rim protector and secondary offensive weapon at his new school. Ware has three seasons of eligibility remaining, but could be off to the NBA before using them all if things go well at his next stop.
Cryer made 42.5% of his 3-point attempts over 70 games in three seasons with Baylor. The 6-1 guard started all 31 games he played in for the Bears during the 2022-23 season, and would have scored even more than his 15 points per game if not for the fact that he was sharing the backcourt with high-quality guards Adam Flagler and Keyonte George. He is not a great defender but can play on or off the ball and provide a serious offensive spark for Houston with his outside shooting. As the Cougars transition to the Big 12, his experience in the league will be a nice boost.
Mark started every game for Houston during the 2022-23 season, playing a key role on a team that spent several weeks at No. 1. The 6-5 guard is a great defender who averaged 10.1 points over the past two seasons. Though he is just a 30% career 3-point shooter, he has the tools and pedigree to be an impact player for an Arkansas program that thrives with transfers. Mark is also going through the NBA's pre-draft process and could elect to end his college career. But if he does stick with Arkansas, he'll be a key player.
Nembhard averaged 12.1 points per game in the 2022-23 season and dished out 4.8 assists per contest. He is the younger brother of former Florida and Gonzaga point guard Andrew Nembhard but quickly made a name for himself while winning Big East Freshman of the Year honors for the 2021-22 season. He is a true point guard with two seasons of eligibility remaining and excellent experience as the lead facilitator for a pair of Creighton teams that won games in the NCAA Tournament. He will be instrumental in helping the Zags reclaim the backcourt prowess that coach Mark Few has been missing the past couple seasons.
Kriisa started at point guard for the past two seasons at Arizona as the Wildcats became an offensive juggernaut under coach Tommy Lloyd. His strengths are 3-point shooting and facilitating as he made 36.6% of his 3-pointers and dished out 5.1 assists for the Pac-12 Tournament champions in 2022-23. Aside from his perimeter shooting, Kriisa is limited as a scorer, and he's not a plus defender. But, in total, he's a proven point guard and great pickup for a West Virginia team replacing starting guards Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson.
Edwards finished third in scoring for Syracuse in 2022-23 at 14.5 points per game, led the ACC in blocks per game at 2.7 and finished second behind Armando Bacot of North Carolina in rebounding with 10.4 boards per contest. The 6-11 native of the Netherlands has just one season of eligibility remaining after four seasons with the Orange, but he should be able to make that year count as an impact player at West Virginia. Though he's not an outside threat or much of a passer, he thrives doing everything else you could want from a big.
Tyson is the epitome of an all-around player and one of the most underrated two-way wings in the sport after averaging 10.7 points and 6.1 rebounds on 53.8% 2-point shooting and 40.2% 3-point shooting during the 2022-23 season. He also ranked as Texas Tech's best defender, according to evanmiya.com, while collecting 1.4 steals per contest. The former top-40 prospect began his career at Texas in the 2021-22 season but played sparingly before showing this past season why he was so highly regarded as a prospect.
It's possible that a change of scenery is all Ingram needs to recapture the NBA Draft buzz he once enjoyed as a five-star prospect from the Class of 2021. At 6-8, he's a versatile forward who can play on the block or step out and hit 3-pointers. He's also a savvy passer who can facilitate the offense. Ingram averaged 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in two seasons with the Cardinal. If he can bring up his career 62.9% free-throw shooting and 31.6% 3-point shooting percentage, Ingram can be a high-impact starter for the Tar Heels.
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A Syracuse nonprofit plans to break ground this year on a $31 million housing development that will bring 52 new affordable apartments to scattered sites on the South and Southwest sides of the city.
Gov. Kathy Hochul today announced critical state funding for the project known as Creekside Landing. The Syracuse project is one of 27 funded around the state for a total of $875 million.
Syracuse nonprofit Housing Visions will fund its project with a combination of low-income housing tax credits, grants and loans from the state, said Ben Lockwood, president and CEO. In addition, the city of Syracuse is providing $5 million and private investors will supply about $14 million, he said.
The biggest single piece of the development involves renovation of a vacant three-story building at 416 W. Onondaga St. into a combination of offices and apartments.
The ground floor will house a workforce training office run by Jubilee Homes, plus other office space. The upper two floors will include 20 one-bedroom apartments that will rent for between $630 and $728 a month, Lockwood said.
The project also includes 16 two-family homes at scattered vacant lots: two in the 300 block of Shonnard Street; two in the 500 block of West Colvin Street; two in the 200 block of West Beard Avenue; five near the intersection of Beard and Midland Avenues; and five near the intersection of Midland Avenue and West Colvin Street.
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(instagram)
We didn't win on College Night but...we had a lot of fun.
Paella mariscos for three to four people at Otro Cinco, Syracuse, N.Y. Paella was one of Otro's signature dishes. Jared Paventi | jaredpaventi@gma
Otro Cinco, a Mexican-turned-Spanish restaurant and bar in the heart of downtown Syracuse, has closed for good.
Owner Johanna Yorke confirmed the permanent closing in an email to syracuse.com today. The restaurant at 266 S. Warren St. had shut down April 15, but Yorke said at that time it was just temporary. She said then she planned to reopen this summer with a “refurbished” look.
Today’s message from Yorke reads: “Just letting you know Otro is closed and will not reopen. Kind of sad but it was a pretty good ten years. ... Hard decision to make.”
In a follow-up email, she said the closing was due to “kind of a host of reasons but mainly just ready for some change in my life and grateful for all the good times. Certainly challenging ... operating a restaurant these days and trying to offer a good meal and staying out of the red.”
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A noted thought leader in student affairs, a transformative higher education president, a celebrated ceramic artist and a global business executive and philanthropist will be recognized with honorary degrees from Syracuse University at the 2023 Commencement on Sunday, May 14, at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The late Cerri Banks ’00, G’04, G’06, who served as the University’s vice president and deputy to the senior vice president of student experience; Michael Crow G’85, president of Arizona State University; David R. MacDonald, artist and professor emeritus of ceramics; and Kathleen A. Walters ’73, retired executive vice president of Georgia-Pacific and the first woman to serve as chair of the University Board of Trustees, will be honored for their outstanding achievements in their professional careers and the difference they have made in the lives of others.
Cerri A. Banks ’00, G’04, G’06
Doctor of Humane Letters (posthumously)
An outstanding leader in student affairs and a scholar-practitioner of education, Banks dedicated her life’s work to the betterment of the student experience. Banks passed away on July 31, 2022; Banks’ parents, Deryk and Cynthia Banks, will be accepting her honorary degree at Commencement.
Banks had a lifetime legacy at Syracuse University: as an engaged alumna, a staunch supporter of her cherished School of Education and the University, and a beloved leader and mentor in the Student Experience division. She was a thought leader in the field of student affairs, recognized for her work at the intersection of scholarship and practice, teaching and research, academic affairs, and student affairs.
A three-time graduate of Syracuse University, Banks earned a bachelor’s degree in inclusive elementary and special education, a master’s degree in cultural foundations of education and a Ph.D. in cultural foundations of education, all from the School of Education, along with a certificate of advanced study in women’s and gender studies from the College of Arts and Sciences. Her doctoral research focused on student engagement and belonging, examining how Black women undergraduates found ways to succeed on predominantly white college campuses.
From there, her research, scholarship and leadership continued to develop and deepen into an exemplary professional life of service to student affairs and success. Before returning to Syracuse University in 2021 as vice president for student success and deputy to the senior vice president of student experience, Banks had been Skidmore College’s dean of students and vice president for student affairs for nearly five years, overseeing all student services, serving on the president’s cabinet and overseeing the bias response group and the COVID-19 campus planning and response. She served in similar positions at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and at William Smith College in Geneva, New York, where she was also director of the President’s Commission on Inclusive Excellence.
Once at Syracuse, Banks quickly made an impact on the student experience and on Universitywide initiatives through leadership roles involving critical initiatives. In addition to her role with Student Experience, Banks served as a member of the three-person interim leadership team charged with advancing the University’s diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility priorities and strategic planning efforts. She co-chaired the search for a new chief diversity officer and played a crucial role in creating open lines of communication between students and administration, serving as a fierce advocate and a mentor for students. As an alumna, she established a national mentoring presence and skillfully chaired the School of Education Board of Visitors for eight years, playing a key role in the school’s redesign.
Banks was a highly respected and internationally recognized academic leader and a prolific scholar. Among her published works were “Black Women Undergraduates, Cultural Capital and College Success,” “Teaching, Learning and Intersecting Identities in Higher Education” and “No Justice! No Peace! College Student Activism, Race Relations and Media Cultures,” as well as numerous articles, book chapters and presentations on culturally relevancy, identity and learning, and other subjects.
Michael Crow G’85
Doctor of Science
A knowledge enterprise architect and science and technology policy scholar, Crow has led Arizona State University (ASU) through a transformation of academic innovation and educational accessibility that has made him known nationwide as a leader in the evolution of higher education. Crow became the 16th president of Arizona State University in July 2002 and since then the university has seen rapid growth in traditional, online and international student enrollment, retention and research—all while evolving the academic enterprise to meet the changing needs of students, especially those from underrepresented groups.
During his now more than two decades at ASU, the University’s enrollment grew from 55,000 to 80,000 students, with a dedicated commitment to increased diversity. Its substantial Hispanic enrollment has earned it a Department of Education designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Under President Crow, ASU, which is a Carnegie R1 University, has seen a nearly fivefold growth in research expenditures, and currently ranks 17th in federal expenditures. For its dramatic growth and modernization, ASU has been recognized as one of the top 100 most prestigious universities in the world by Times Higher Education, and a top 100 position in Shanghai Jiao Tong’s 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Under Crow’s leadership, ASU has established 25 new transdisciplinary schools, including the School of Earth and Space Exploration, the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and launched trailblazing multidisciplinary initiatives, including the Biodesign Institute, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, and initiatives in the humanities and social sciences.
Crow, who earned a Ph.D. in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental studies at Iowa State University, began building his distinguished academic career in various roles at Iowa State and Columbia University. At Columbia, he served as director of the Earth Institute, a collaboration of dozens of research centers and programs at the university and one of the nation’s leading resources on climate change, university vice provost and associate vice provost for science and engineering. At Iowa State, he was director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology and director of the Office of Science Policy and Research. Throughout his career, including now as ASU president, he continues to teach and conduct research, staying grounded in the mission of higher education.
Crow has been recognized by his peers as an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Public Administration and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published numerous books and articles analyzing knowledge enterprises, science and technology policy, and the design of higher education institutions. His expertise has been tapped by the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce and Energy, as well as defense and intelligence agencies.
David R. MacDonald
Doctor of Fine Arts
An internationally renowned artist and professor emeritus of ceramics in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), MacDonald uses clay as a medium for exploring the form and function of utilitarian vessels, his African heritage, themes of anger and injustice, and the indomitable nature of the human spirit.
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