Class of 2025 PG Luke Fennell (Australia) COMMITTED & SIGNED TO SYRACUSE (10/23/24)

[bnoro]

Freefall wouldn't include improving in two of the last three years. That being said, we're not where we used to be and this team is not that enjoyable to watch. It's why I put the Basketball Forum on ignore.

We "improved" in non-conference and got blown out everywhere else. We're not even close to competing to make an NCAA tournament. Where are the positives?

 

[Oakland]

Exactly, some people are literally just afflicted with massive negativity. It honestly pervades this board. I use to read Syracuse.com forums like 20 years ago, in school. It was toxic. I said see ya long ago. I was so happy to find this board. It is growing difficult. Having a little bit of knowledge, positivity about Syracuse University and its sports teams is so much fun. I am definitely a Syracuse Homer, I was there and it changed my life. So many good people and coaches have come through. Win lose or draw, big picture it has been so so amazing. Forever grateful, all I have to do is think about it.

There is an ignore feature - it is very helpful.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

I will be in free fall next year if we don't have a respectable top 25 team - may go into free fall earlier if Freeman is not back

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[SUFan44]

I will be in free fall next year if we don't have a respectable top 25 team - may go into free fall earlier if Freeman is not back

You best purchase a parachute then.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Fennell could be our most influential player coming in next year. Womack is also highly skilled.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Fennell could be our most influential player coming in next year. Womack is also highly skilled.

Fennell has got some real skills and reads the floor well. Sees where the open spaces are. Has a very nice 3 point shot. But he is a bit slow. It will be interesting to see his adjustment to the NCAA. International ball is pretty good training, but it might take him a while to get up to speed. His upside to me is a poor man's Chris Mullin. There's a reason he's playing for his national team. The kid is talented.

 

[Cuse1055]

I hope he lives up to expectations but if we don’t bring in a legit portal PG then Autry is crazy and will absolutely be gone after next year (if not this year).

 

[SUFan44]

I hope he lives up to expectations but if we don’t bring in a legit portal PG then Autry is crazy and will absolutely be gone after next year (if not this year).

We won’t.

 

[Cuse1055]

We won’t.

Then better not delay the inevitable and fire him this year.

 

[SUFan44]

Then better not delay the inevitable and fire him this year.

We won't.

 

[kcsu]

Fennell has got some real skills and reads the floor well. Sees where the open spaces are. Has a very nice 3 point shot. But he is a bit slow. It will be interesting to see his adjustment to the NCAA. International ball is pretty good training, but it might take him a while to get up to speed. His upside to me is a poor man's Chris Mullin. There's a reason he's playing for his national team. The kid is talented.

Triche wasn't fast either. I like this kids strength. Hes going to be good.

 

[CuseMan4]

Fennell could be our most influential player coming in next year. Womack is also highly skilled.

Think Robert Braswell when you think of Womack. He won’t be playing much for a couple years. Would gladly eat my words

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Think Robert Braswell when you think of Womack. He won’t be playing much for a couple years. Would gladly eat my words

I don't mind a Big Bad Bobby Braswell on the roster.

 

[SUFan44]

I don't mind a Big Bad Bobby Braswell on the roster.

Braswell, amongst many others, was always overrated by this fanbase.

After 7 years in college, he's only now averaging double figures this year for a 9-17 Charlotte team.

If we can't find better players than Bobby Braswell, then we are in big, big trouble.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Think Robert Braswell when you think of Womack. He won’t be playing much for a couple years. Would gladly eat my words

Womack is a much better ball handler and passer. He affects the game in a lot of ways.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Triche wasn't fast either. I like this kids strength. Hes going to be good.

I hear what you're saying. I think he's going to be good, too. But he lacks elite athleticism. He's more of a basketball player, like you'd say about Petar this year.

Triche was pretty quick and could fill the lane on the fast break. He was physically very strong, built broadly.

Fennell isn't that guy. He cuts well without the ball and can get to the rim, but he doesn't power past people close to the rim. He might have trouble finishing through contact.

Who else played like Chris Mullin? Big guard, very good passer, sees the floor very well, can really hit an open three, almost automatic.

Ricky Rubio isn't as tall. Manu Ginobli is about the right size, was great from three, but kind of invented that Euro step on the drive. Fennell doesn't have that.

Maybe a Jon Scheyer type? He was a 6-5 combo, had about 3-4 assists a game and shot 38% from three.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Think Robert Braswell when you think of Womack. He won’t be playing much for a couple years. Would gladly eat my words

I would compare him to the other kid from that era, Woody Newton, or maybe Chris Bell. Braswell was a bit thicker in the middle, more of a rebounder.

 

[grepal]

I will be in free fall next year if we don't have a respectable top 25 team - may go into free fall earlier if Freeman is not back

We will need some really good portal adds to bring this talented class along.

 

[sutomcat]

Here is a cool web site that covers Australian basketball.

South East Melbourne's newest hometown hero

Luke Fennell has been around the Phoenix since he was 14, and the local star has the potential to be one a leading light.

nbl.com.au

Syracuse fans will want to watch the Heat Check video near the bottom of the page. It touches base on a lot of players but at the 16:20 mark, there is a brief discussion of Luke, with some video. Good to hear some objective discussion on him. Don't think they even know he has signed with Syracuse.

The guys mentioned with him are really good. Giddey and Daniels are in the NBA and Armstrong led the WAC in assists his first two years before going pro.

Hopefully he ends up doing similar things to these guys.

 

[Hopkins16]

We need 2 things next year to be successful. An experienced and skillful point guard and center. We cannot rely on Fennel or Starling if he returns, at the point. We will be bare at center after the season and will need a legit down low player. Right now we are not a sexy destination but money talks. Only big bags will get us the players we need.

A legit point guard would have helped guys like Bell and Moore this year, who are solid shooters but cannot do much else offensively to help themselves get good shots. I hope Red learned that a real floor general covers up so many weaknesses.

 

[baggerbob]

I was very pro-Red going into this season, ignored a lot of the warts with Carlos/Eddie/Bell, and thought we could be decent this year. It's not "haters are going to hate". It's "this program is in freefall and might never recover".

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People need to look at the chart you showed and realize the years from Ennis back all our NCAA seeds were 4 or less. The 4 seeds since were one 8 seed and a number of double digit seeds.
For a program that for a long time was a top 10 program that shows the bottom has fallen out.
It past time for a new beginning, the fans deserve better then what they have been given the last 10 years.

 

[hoopsupstate]

People need to look at the chart you showed and realize the years from Ennis back all our NCAA seeds were 4 or less. The 4 seeds since were one 8 seed and a number of double digit seeds.
For a program that for a long time was a top 10 program that shows the bottom has fallen out.
It past time for a new beginning, the fans deserve better then what they have been given the last 10 years.

People can say what they want, but the second round of sanctions crushed this program. It was almost an excuse for JB to stop going on the road to recruit. It’s not ironic that the program has been on a steady decline since the sanctions happened.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Fennell has got some real skills and reads the floor well. Sees where the open spaces are. Has a very nice 3 point shot. But he is a bit slow. It will be interesting to see his adjustment to the NCAA. International ball is pretty good training, but it might take him a while to get up to speed. His upside to me is a poor man's Chris Mullin. There's a reason he's playing for his national team. The kid is talented.

More like a destitute Chris Mullin, who was one of the greatest college players, an NBA all-star, Dream Teamer, HOFer, and all time great shooter.
I see a bit of MCW with a far better shot. Maybe not as explosive.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I think his athleticism is a little deceiving. He’s 6’6” tall so he’s not one of those smaller guards getting by bigger guards. He reminds me a lot like Proctor at Duke. Big guard who can shoot and drive to the basket. Proctor is not super quick but he gets to where he wants to go. I think he’s from Australia too.