Class of 2023 - PG Naithan George (Ontario/AZ) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (4/4/25) | Page 24 | Syracusefan.com

Class of 2023 PG Naithan George (Ontario/AZ) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (4/4/25)

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OrangeXtreme said:
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Photoshopped jersey confirms he never visited during his recruitment, interesting that he didn’t do the normal recruitment process but either way I am glad he is Orange

This isn’t a good or bad thing but to me, it indicates he was confident enough with the staff, the opportunity and the roster to commit without taking an official visit. I’m sure he’s been to campus before but just an interesting observation
 
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djcon57 said:
...or we gave him the most money?

Not being cynical. Just the reality in the current climate. We know that was the case with Eddie for example.
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I’m sure money was a factor, it always is with players in the transfer portal. But I think George could have gotten the same money (or more) from UNC or Oklahoma (other teams he had a Zoom with before committing) so I do think trust in the staff, opportunity and a roster built around his skills pushed us over the the other schools. Another potential factor is that he has two years of eligibility remaining and a real chance to play in the NBA so he’s not going somewhere to get a paycheck and not develop. I don’t think it’s similar to Eddie Lampkin’s situation, who clearly didn’t care about development and just wanted the $$$ in his last year to maximize his earnings
 
I think he has been on campus before. SU clearly offered a solid NIL package. On top of that Syracuse offers a great opportunity for his family to be able to attend games. All other things being equal this was something not many other schools could offer.
 
Dmcnabbrules said:
I think he has been on campus before. SU clearly offered a solid NIL package. On top of that Syracuse offers a great opportunity for his family to be able to attend games. All other things being equal this was something not many other schools could offer.
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Cuse really needs to hammer Canada again for players. Toronto to Montreal. Should be a slam dunk for those who want family closer.
 
This guy could really be the real deal. I mean we’ve seen guards not at Syracuse yet at lower levels that do just fine once they transfer up. He’s been doing this as a freshmen and sophomore in the ACC. And he has so much more beside him this season.
 
RF2044 said:
George is going to be Kyle's best friend. Excels throwing lobs.

But he also has some limitations. I hope people are realistic about what to expect. Going to be interesting.
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Off ball movement is going to be absolutely a must. Kingz and JJ coming off screens or using the dribble handoff weave action etc. George needs space and movement to maximize his skillsets. Obviously the pick and roll/ pick and pop has to be part of this offense too. That said standing around and guys being stagnant off ball is not going to work. To me that’s going to make it extremely important for whoever is playing the 2 and 3 to be active.
 
Orangezoo said:
Off ball movement is going to be absolutely a must. Kingz and JJ coming off screens or using the dribble handoff weave action etc. George needs space and movement to maximize his skillsets. Obviously the pick and roll/ pick and pop has to be part of this offense too. That said standing around and guys being stagnant off ball is not going to work. To me that’s going to make it extremely important for whoever is playing the 2 and 3 to be active.
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George can pass but not drive well, JJ can drive but not shoot well, Kingz can shoot.

I see some good complementary skills.
 
cusefan88 said:
George can pass but not drive well, JJ can drive but not shoot well, Kingz can shoot.

I see some good complementary skills.
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George can get into the lane but doesn’t have that burst to get all the way to the rim thus his use of that pull up that’s pretty effective.

I agree the skills are complementary so you can fit everything together with a solid game plan. The game plan being key here as we go into the year needing to see the coaching be much improved.
 
RF2044 said:
George is going to be Kyle's best friend. Excels throwing lobs.

But he also has some limitations. I hope people are realistic about what to expect. Going to be interesting.
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One thing that is interesting about George is his elite ability to throw the lob pass. He just sees angles very well and has a natural ability to deliver the ball.

But even in his highlights, he has a bunch of very close calls where a great play could have been a turnover. His assist rate was 34.6 (great) and his TOV% was 19.9, which was a little high. I wonder how many of his turnovers were from forcing passes in an effort to make something happen in an offense deficient team.

But three turnovers a game for a guy who handled the ball 36 minutes a game isn’t a lot.

If he can keep his elite passing and become just a tiny bit more selective, he could be even more effective.
 
Niastri said:
One thing that is interesting about George is his elite ability to throw the lob pass. He just sees angles very well and has a natural ability to deliver the ball.

But even in his highlights, he has a bunch of very close calls where a great play could have been a turnover. His assist rate was 34.6 (great) and his TOV% was 19.9, which was a little high. I wonder how many of his turnovers were from forcing passes in an effort to make something happen in an offense deficient team.

But three turnovers a game for a guy who handled the ball 36 minutes a game isn’t a lot.

If he can keep his elite passing and become just a tiny bit more selective, he could be even more effective.
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Very good summary, IMO.
 
Dcuse said:
Well, they better all improve at their supposed weakness or me or you could literally draw up a defensive game plan to shut the offense down.
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That’s as obvious as it gets but redundancy doesn’t help us either if everyone is trying to focus on doing what they aren’t good at all game.

You continue to get better where you excel to then put more pressure on the defense as well so it’s more difficult to take away.
 
Orangezoo said:
George can get into the lane but doesn’t have that burst to get all the way to the rim thus his use of that pull up that’s pretty effective.

I agree the skills are complementary so you can fit everything together with a solid game plan. The game plan being key here as we go into the year needing to see the coaching be much improved.
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If he gives us what Billy gave us in 2003, getting in the lane and score, or pass to someone for a score.
 
Orangefizz said:
I like:
Jalen Washington UNC
Darren Harris Duke
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Centers of Note in the Transfer Portal:
  • Henri Veesaar (North Carolina):
    A 7-foot, 225-pound center who transferred from Arizona to North Carolina. He averaged 9.4 points and 5.0 rebounds as a redshirt sophomore and is expected to be a key player for the Tar Heels.

  • Xavier Booker (UCLA):
    A former five-star prospect, Booker is a high-potential big man who is transferring to UCLA, replacing Aday Mara.

  • Aday Mara (Michigan):
    While he has transferred to Michigan, he is still considered a notable center available in the portal.

  • Payton Sparks:
    Sparks has spent time with both Ball State and Indiana and is now back in the portal, potentially looking to stay in Indiana, according to SportsGrid.

  • Pape N'Diaye:
    N'Diaye is a 6'10" center transferring from UNLV to Xavier, known for his defensive potential and ability to alter shots, according to MSN.
 
As of today, June 18, 2025, there are still some highly-rated power forwards available in the college basketball transfer portal for the 2025-26 season.
Here are a few prominent examples:
  • Darrion Williams: A 5-star, 6'6" forward from Texas Tech, he is declared for the NBA Draft but is maintaining his college eligibility. He averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders. Teams like NC State are listed as potential destinations.
  • Dillon Mitchell: A 4-star, 6'7" forward, who played for Cincinnati last season after two years at Texas. He is still looking for a breakout season, averaging 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
  • Keonte Jones: A 4-star, 6'7" power forward who recently re-entered the portal after initially committing to USC. He was close to a double-double average last season with Cal State Northridge
 
BillSU said:
As of today, June 18, 2025, there are still some highly-rated power forwards available in the college basketball transfer portal for the 2025-26 season.
Here are a few prominent examples:
  • Darrion Williams: A 5-star, 6'6" forward from Texas Tech, he is declared for the NBA Draft but is maintaining his college eligibility. He averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders. Teams like NC State are listed as potential destinations.
  • Dillon Mitchell: A 4-star, 6'7" forward, who played for Cincinnati last season after two years at Texas. He is still looking for a breakout season, averaging 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
  • Keonte Jones: A 4-star, 6'7" power forward who recently re-entered the portal after initially committing to USC. He was close to a double-double average last season with Cal State Northridge
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Williams committed to NC State, Mitchell to St Johns, Jones to USC. Your info is old.
 
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