Syracuse doesn’t begin official practices until September, but the Orange have been working out on campus since early July. Several weeks of weight training, on-court drills and five-on-five provide enough of a sample to see who’s made the biggest improvements since the Sweet 16 run, and who could be poised for a statistical leap next season. Key questions include: How has former top-50 recruit Benny Williams fared thus far? How about the transfers? Which returnee improved the most over the past four months?
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The following account is based on information provided by three people who either have observed multiple workouts this summer or are in regular contact with the players. Additional insight comes from coach Jim Boeheim and Villanova transfer forward Cole Swider, a senior who spoke with The Athletic last week.
1. Buddy Boeheim, the reigning team MVP and breakout star
First up: Syracuse’s presumptive MVP for the 2021-22 season, senior guard Buddy Boeheim, whose hot shooting in the NCAA Tournament pushed the Orange to the Sweet 16 for the third time since 2016. He’s noticeably stronger, especially in the upper body, per observers. He’s tacked on muscle to his 6-foot-5 frame, which should help him fight through screens atop the zone. The real question, though: Has he missed a 3-point shot yet?
“I don’t remember him missing much this summer,” Swider said with a laugh. “He’s one of the better shooters I’ve seen either on my team or another team. To see him get after it on the shooting gun is a sight to witness.”
Asked what has most impressed him about Boeheim, Swider noted his attention to detail, strong work ethic (multiple shootarounds per day) and footwork. He said Boeheim isn’t the strongest or fastest guy in the gym, but he quickly gets to his spots. He usually doesn’t take more steps than he needs to find an opening on the 3-point line. It’s what Boeheim does without the ball that has continued to improve. He’s aware that he will be guarded by the opposition’s top athlete next season, and creativity without the ball is critical to scoring.
“He’s really good at coming off screens and actions,” Swider said. “He makes tough shots, but he really is efficient with his steps on off-ball screen action.”
Boeheim has progressed each season. First it was confidence and strength, then the ability to not only hit 3s but score off pull-ups in the midrange. The next step in his progression has been what he does without the ball to get open. Yes, this is a nice development for the Orange and the team’s star, who could appear on the preseason All-ACC first team. The ball is coming out of his hand smoothly and with great rotation. The arc is clean. All good signs headed into Boeheim’s fourth and final season playing for his father.
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2. Top recruit Benny Williams impresses early: ‘He will be a big factor’
Finishing at the basket, aggressive on takes, strong one-dribble jumpers: Williams has done a variety of scoring in scrimmages this summer. He bulked up more than 15 pounds at IMG Academy last year. Through team workouts, he’s shown that he’s a willing interior player. His father, Ben, said his biggest takeaway from July was that he was learning: the 2-3 zone, his place in the offense, where he can help right away. During the Orange’s Sweet 16 run, both Jim and Buddy Boeheim said Williams will immediately be an impact guy. There is no doubt that Williams could be Syracuse’s most impactful freshman since Oshae Brissett arrived four years ago.
Williams committed in June 2020, thanks largely to his family’s strong relationship with associate head coach Adrian Autry. His commitment helped spark the Orange’s upward trajectory on the recruiting trail as SU has landed a pair of top-75 talents since Williams’ pledge. Already, people in the program have been raving about his confidence, maturity and smooth approach to attacking a defense. He can hit shots off pull-ups or off the catch. He’s showcased unselfishness and seems to be a high-IQ player on both ends of the floor. He attacks closeouts well off an advantage and makes good passing decisions. He has potential as a three-level scorer due to his ability to separate.
“Benny is a super talent,” Swider said. “The thing that’s most impressive is his receptiveness to coaching. Freshman year, I’ve seen top guys come in and they don’t have the right attitude. They think they’re better than they are and don’t need as much help. But he has the right attitude. He will be a big factor for us.”
3. Transfer additions could fill key holes
The staff is aware that the Orange will look considerably different from season to season. There will be stability with long-term players such as point guard Joseph Girard and center Jesse Edwards. But seven scholarship players have transferred out of Syracuse over the past two offseasons, and transfer movement is a national trend that will continue. Coaches nationwide are preparing to both lose and gain players through the portal.
“The staff wasn’t too pleased with Quincy (Guerrier) leaving, but they know that most schools are going to lose guys every year,” a person close to the program said. “At the same time, they’ll be able to replenish with talent quickly.”
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This is where Swider, Jimmy Boeheim and Symir Torrence come in. Each will log minutes in the rotation. Boeheim could start at the four, Swider could benefit from catch-and-shooting chances on the perimeter (likely off the bench), and Torrence is expected to spell for Girard in the backcourt as a facilitator and athletic guard at the top of the zone. There’s no telling how long it will take for all three to learn their responsibilities in the zone, and it’s worth noting that past Syracuse transfers have needed months to pick up key zone concepts.
But there’s little question that the Orange will benefit from Jimmy Boeheim’s finesse in the post and his knack for rebounding. SU also feels that Swider is a good shooter to space the floor alongside Buddy Boeheim and Girard, despite any defensive or athletic weaknesses he might present. And Torrence is a backup point guard who understands his role and knows how to make solid reads.
“I’m focusing on attention to detail and working on the zone,” Swider said. “I’m trying to find the balance between coming in and being a leader and learning the system. I’m going to be a senior with two years of eligibility. I don’t know if I’ll stay one or two years. But I have an opportunity to be a leader and lift up my guys.”
4. Center progress: Bourama Sidibe, Jesse Edwards, Frank Anselem
Fifth-year senior Bourama Sidibe is with family in Africa and expected to return to campus when classes start in late August. Edwards is back for his third season with the program. Frank Anselem is back for his second. Each center put on a few pounds this spring, something Jim Boeheim wanted from his bigs. That the Orange didn’t add a center through the portal speaks to their confidence with what they have, and it’s apparent that Sidibe is the probable starter if he can stay healthy. If not, Edwards is next in line. Anselem had “a long way to go,” Boeheim said last season, but he has continued to demonstrate the bounce in his step and is working toward a path to center minutes in 2022-23. Anselem still has four years of eligibility remaining.
Edwards is not a particularly awesome athlete, but he’s skilled enough — and gaining strength — with potential to make an impact in the ACC. He’s smooth, with good body control. He keeps it pretty simple. He’s a legitimate rim protector with his length. Based on the progress he showed in July, this is the year in which Syracuse expects him to carve out a genuine rotation role, whether as starter or primary backup. He could take a big leap this year, although it’s still going to take time for him to contribute more than run the floor, rebound and finish out of ball screens. He has begun to showcase some passing skills and ability to hit short jumpers out of the middle.
“Jesse, I think, is ready,” Boeheim said recently on Cameo. “We have more size at center. Hopefully, Bourama will be healthy. We have a tough schedule. But we have a lot of guys who can shoot. I think we’ve improved our team a little bit. We’re a little bigger at forward. Jesse is getting better all of the time at center.”
5. This is a loose and confident team
John Bol Ajak, the team clown, is back after entering the transfer portal. His presence makes for more laughs in the locker room. Overall, players are happier and more relaxed because there aren’t the strict health protocols that limited human connection last year. The transfers are new to the program on paper, but they’re also familiar with the program. Torrence is from Syracuse. Swider nearly picked Syracuse out of high school. Jimmy Boeheim was a star just down the road at Cornell and knows a thing or two about SU.
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There’s also no doubt that the Orange are more experienced than they were last season, and they feel good about themselves as the fall approaches. Of course, the 2020-21 team was up and down, impacted by COVID-19 stoppages. In the spring, several players decided to leave the program. Marek Dolezaj’s vision, Guerrier’s versatility and Kadary Richmond’s length will be difficult to replace. But SU got hot at the right time to go on a Sweet 16 run, and Boeheim has said this offseason that he thinks this team could be better than last year’s team, especially on offense. Even though only two starters are back, there’s a healthy amount of shooting and size. They have the right to believe they’ll get right back to the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
“This should be a very interesting season,” Boeheim said. “We had a great finish last year. We’d like to get off the bubble earlier this year, play well. But as long as we get in there, sometimes it’s a struggle, but we’ve done pretty well once we get in there.”
(Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
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