Class of 2025 SF Aaron Womack (WI) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE (9/30/24)

[Niastri]

I get the jokes at my expense … that said I stand by my point in that talent and ranking can disagree often and give me as much talent as we can find even if it takes a year or two over being obsessed with ranking.

Red is no Matt Painter right now but Painter has made a living off of finding really good players and classes without lining up top recruits year in year out.

Landing Kiyan with Sadiq is two top 40 kids which is still a strong HS class. Shon on top would be easily a top 10 if not top 5 overall class. Over top of that it would be in the running for a class like Duke has been pulling. Find the right mix of returning guys, portal plus Womack and let’s keep pushing.

More importantly seal the deal with Kiyan and let’s win some games and be clearly a tourney team.

According to the RSCI, White is 20, Anthony is 32 and Abaev is 37.

That class would be worth 214 points, which would definitely be top10 and most years top5.

FWIW, Tyler Jackson is 52, so even if we aren't super high on him, and he's "dropped" in the rankings, he's still got a lot of scouts that like his game.

If he's still in play, a class of White, Anthony, Abaev, Jackson and Womack would be our best class in a long, long time.

Syracuse hasn't even had a top10 class since 2016 with Richardson, Diagna (who?), Lydon and Howard came in 10th. We've been honorable mention twice since then, including last year with Red's first recruiting class.

The last time we had a top10 class where they all made it to campus was back in 2011, which had Christmas, MCW and Cooney.

Our recruiting hasn't been great for a long time.

I think people aren't really understanding how nice of a job Red has done in a short time.

Westry, Starling, Freeman, Moore, White and (probably) Anthony is a serious infusion of talent in only a couple years.

 

[Niastri]

Purdue would arguably be Syracuse level without Jaden Ivey (a Top 100 recruit) or Zack Edey ( who didn't play basketball until his soph year of high school and still got D1 offers)

If Freeman, Sadiq, Kiyan, or someone else come through, then surrounding that level of player with the mid-range level of players Purdue gets is great. Without a star, it doesn't work. I'd argue we'll look like we did the last couple of years where we expected Benny and Judah to be better than they were and the surrounding talent wasn't good enough to get us across the finish line. I do get your point though.

If Benny Williams had played like the 28th best player in his class, JB would still be hanging on, and we'd be enjoying our winning record streak and probably another Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Imagine how much better we would have been with "that" Williams instead of Taylor in our starting lineup.

C’est la vie

 

[Niastri]

People have compared Aaron Womack to former Syracuse players such as a possible Lawrence Moten (myself included) and Wes Johnson. I can see that potential and hope that it is realized.

That said, I will also say if Aaron is as good or better than Robert Braswell (whom I liked), I would be happy.

You might as well compare Womack to Elvir Ovcina, Trevor Cooney and Demetris Nichols.

Wes Johnson and Lawrence Moten were completely different players.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Steve Nash went to Santa Clara because nobody wanted him...

In today's game he'd be lighting up his AAU league in the 8th grade and everybody would go watch him. Then he'd transfer to Oak Hill or IMG or somewhere and be a one and done.

Different day and age, for sure.

Steve Nash has said he wanted to go to Syracuse, but as you mentioned, nobody including Cuse wanted him.

 

[Niastri]

Steve Nash said he wanted to go to Syracuse, but as you said, nobody including Cuse wanted him.

I didn't know that bit about him wanting to play at Syracuse.

I remember watching him in the NCAA tournament and wondering how he was so good playing for a nobody team.

Even then you couldn't predict his Hall of Fame NBA career. But it was obvious he was really good.

 

[Dinkyspond]

I didn't know that bit about him wanting to play at Syracuse.

I remember watching him in the NCAA tournament and wondering how he was so good playing for a nobody team.

Even then you couldn't predict his Hall of Fame NBA career. But it was obvious he was really good.

He grew up in western Canada but was a fan of Cuse

NBA star finally gets to play at SU, his 'dream school'

Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash will play in NBA exhibition game at the Carrier Dome Friday.

www.syracuse.com

 

[50YRsofCuse]

You might as well compare Womack to Elvir Ovcina, Trevor Cooney and Demetris Nichols.

Wes Johnson and Lawrence Moten were completely different players.

No kidding! Negative vibes, man. Be optimistic or you will dry up in your old age.

Moten was an afterthought that materialize into our all-time scorer.
‘Johnson was an all-round skilled and good player that ended up leading the team his only year playing at Syracuse.

Both players surprised everyone on how good they were.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

??? Eddie Sutton won over 800 games and went to three final fours with three different schools. It isn't like he was a stiff.

Right, but he blew that game. Barnes was also a good coach.

 

[Niastri]

No kidding! Negative vibes, man. Be optimistic or you will dry up in your old age.

Moten was an afterthought that materialize into our all-time scorer.
‘Johnson was an all-round skilled and good player that ended up leading the team his only year playing at Syracuse.

Both players surprised everyone on how good they were.

Fair enough.

I thought they were comparing Womack's game to both of those guys. You could find players with games less similar, but it was already bordering on ridiculous.

My mistake.

 

[dasher]

Right, but he blew that game. Barnes was also a good coach.

He got beat by a better team.