Class of 2022 SF Kamari Lands (IN / HillcrestAZ) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE

[Niastri]

Agree, that second one was better. Can I be the old guy in the room (take some heat off JB for a minute)? I hate how they cut together highlight clips now. I love watching the whole floor, seeing how kids handle, pass, how quickly they make decisions. Now it's just finish after finish or shot after shot. Also, these teams are sooooo slow to react defensively. I think that really makes it tough to evaluate a kid b/c the team defense is A) super basic with rarely a secondary slide that I can see and B) Sloooowwww.

OK, back from old guy land -- kid seems to be a stud. Love the length. I'm fired up!

I agree, evaluating a kid based on a highlight tape is hard. It's impossible when you have no concept of the level of competition, or when you can clearly see how terrible the opposition is.

I really enjoyed breaking down Cole Swider's film because at least you know he was playing against the Big East and not some scrubs in the Southeastern Indiana Rural League.

Lands playing at La Lumiere and Prolific makes it a little better, but there are only so many D1 prospects even in the best high school leagues.

 

[hoopsupstate]

He will be a pro .

???

 

[Trueblue25]

Could be Dirty 2.0 new and improved. Far higher ceiling

 

[Cuse1055]

Between Kamari and Cole, Gerry is beginning to find his recruiting mojo and groove. Very promising. I think he may be recruiting Copeland and Taylor as well.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Holy crap! Followed this thread early on and also figured 'not happening'. Is this what Frank was referring to when he tweeted "the dominoes have begun to fall"?

Yup, hopefully plural. Who doesn't love watching dominoes fall.

 

[jordville]

Between Kamari and Cole, Gerry is beginning to find his recruiting mojo and groove. Very promising. I think he may be recruiting Copeland and Taylor as well.

Re: Copeland and Taylor... yes & yes.

Also Chance and Donovan.

 

[orange79]

orange79, can I use my catchphrase here?

 

[PauliePeppas]

Between Kamari and Cole, Gerry is beginning to find his recruiting mojo and groove. Very promising. I think he may be recruiting Copeland and Taylor as well.

Reds primary for Taylor 99% sure

 

[jordville]

Reds primary for Taylor 99% sure

That would make sense for the DMV roots. Had heard G was on him too.

 

[Newhouser]

Do kids lift weights anymore? All these kids look so skinny. That said - kid can shoot which is harder to develop than muscles. Now let's make sure we keep him.

 

[721Comstock]

I'm right in the middle. Still golden.

Stay golden, Foggy Boy!

 

[chugg21]

MikeSU02... Gerry McNamara was the lead recruiter for Lands as is mentioned earlier.

I am repeating some information here but there is some information on him perhaps people on here should read again to really get who Lands is where he's from, etc.

From Indiana, he now plays for Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, CA.

Says Syracuse was always his favorite because of Carmelo Anthony.

Ranked as a FIVE STAR by ESPN at #19 on their 2022 list.

If you Goggle him and watch the tape available you will see that he is and elite level HS player / 6'8" 195 small forward with a big guard mentality.

Smooth shooter, beautiful stroke, hits from the 3, mid range, floater, dunk, virtually everything.

Looking forward to playing D in the ZONE.

Has been in constant contact with Gerry and JB and has developed a great relationship with them and the rest of the staff.

Wanted to commit now so recruiting does not interfere with his playing.

So, it looks like we landed Lands and he is a very, very good player.

195 huh? Hope he's ready to man the middle!

 

[MikeSU02]

MikeSU02... Gerry McNamara was the lead recruiter for Lands as is mentioned earlier.

I am repeating some information here but there is some information on him perhaps people on here should read again to really get who Lands is where he's from, etc.

From Indiana, he now plays for Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, CA.

Says Syracuse was always his favorite because of Carmelo Anthony.

Ranked as a FIVE STAR by ESPN at #19 on their 2022 list.

If you Goggle him and watch the tape available you will see that he is and elite level HS player / 6'8" 195 small forward with a big guard mentality.

Smooth shooter, beautiful stroke, hits from the 3, mid range, floater, dunk, virtually everything.

Looking forward to playing D in the ZONE.

Has been in constant contact with Gerry and JB and has developed a great relationship with them and the rest of the staff.

Wanted to commit now so recruiting does not interfere with his playing.

So, it looks like we landed Lands and he is a very, very good player.

Thanks for the write up. I said this about Benny and I'll say it about Kamari, these guys LOOK THE PART of the guys on the wings that JB would ideally want (save a generational talent like Melo, obviously).

Personally, I feel like we've slipped a little here in the last few years (meaning, we have good players, but they don't fit together/JB's vision perfect. Not a knock on our guys, lot of heart, but just not the Hak/Wes types.

If Benny can stick around and we can go to bat with Benny and Kamari, my god, watch out.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Lands, a 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward from Prolific Prep (CA), chose Syracuse over offers from DePaul, Miami of Ohio, Texas Tech and Xavier, among others.

Ranked by 247Sports.com as the No. 6 small forward and No. 33 overall prospect in the class of 2022, Lands is the first commit in Syracuse’s 2022 class.

“I’m a 6-foot-8 combo guard who can score on all three levels,” Lands said. “I can [be a playmaker] and play great defense.”

I'm trying to make all of this fit together in my head.

 

[jdubs30]

I'm trying to make all of this fit together in my head.

He’s listed as a SF but the staff thinks he can play 1-3

 

[RF2044]

This kid has tremendous versatility, and a really nice handle / shooting touch.

A bit puzzled by the lack of impressive offers, given his rating.

 

[PauliePeppas]

This kid has tremendous versatility, and a really nice handle / shooting touch.

A bit puzzled by the lack of impressive offers, given his rating.

yea I cant quite grasp that yet...

 

[Fly Rodder]

This kid has tremendous versatility, and a really nice handle / shooting touch.

A bit puzzled by the lack of impressive offers, given his rating.

maybe because most everyone views him as a college 3, but he really wants to play as a 2 and SU is the best school willing to give him that.

I don't know how much that makes a difference in recruiting, but if his goal is the NBA as soon as possible, showcasing yourself as a 6'8" guard makes a difference versus being an athletic 3 among all of the other athletic 3s.

 

[Trueblue25]

This kid has tremendous versatility, and a really nice handle / shooting touch.

A bit puzzled by the lack of impressive offers, given his rating.

It’s still fairly early in the 2022 process. The kids moved around schools too.

He doesn’t seem to be done growing either.

 

[RF2044]

It’s still fairly early in the 2022 process. The kids moved around schools too.

He doesn’t seem to be done growing either.

Okay... but recruiting is 24/7/365. Schools are on these kids early on.

I'd expect a kid rated this high, with his high major athleticism and highly refined skill sets, to have garnered lots of interest from the Kansas, Duke, UNCs, etc.

And maybe he has -- and they just haven't offered. But this is a top 20 rated kid -- not some darkhorse, you'd expect lots of eyes to have already been on him.

And please note that I'm not putting Lands down. He reminds me of Billy Owens. I'm just saying that there's a discrepancy between this kid's skillz / ranking, and the offer list.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I think in today’s environment, you better have players who are versatile and have the ability to play multiple positions. You cant plan on them staying as long as they use to. This gives coaches more flexibility in recruiting and looking at the portal.

 

[Trueblue25]

Okay... but recruiting is 24/7/365. Schools are on these kids early on.

I'd expect a kid rated this high, with his high major athleticism and highly refined skill sets, to have garnered lots of interest from the Kansas, Duke, UNCs, etc.

And maybe he has -- and they just haven't offered. But this is a top 20 rated kid -- not some darkhorse, you'd expect lots of eyes to have already been on him.

And please note that I'm not putting Lands down. He reminds me of Billy Owens. I'm just saying that there's a discrepancy between this kid's skillz / ranking, and the offer list.

No clue, maybe this kid was viewed as a done deal to either Cuse or waiting for UL? Doubtful.

Not for nothing UK and Duke seem like a bit of a mess right now. I’m sure they potentially were focusing on 2021 still. Maybe its not business as usual with the FBI lurking

Bazley didn’t have those eye popping offers either. Neither does another top 20 in Zion Cruz currently

 

[721Comstock]

Do kids lift weights anymore? All these kids look so skinny. That said - kid can shoot which is harder to develop than muscles. Now let's make sure we keep him.

When you're that lanky, it's hard to put on muscle.
Terrible leverage.

That said, he's only a HS junior.

KD was embarrassingly weak at his Pro Day, after a year in college.

 

[Scott11]

Not for nothing UK and Duke seem like a bit of a mess right now.

Duke has 3 5 stars coming in. Cal has reloaded as well. Not that messy.

 

[CuseRunner]

Not to complain this is a huge get. But we need more around him. I don't want 2 straight 1 5 star guy classes.