Amid speculations that he de-committed, Syracuse Transfer Eddie Lampkin showed off his new Orange Jersey at a popular off-campus storefront. This should disprove any claim as to whether or not the big man’s recruitment was open. Cuse fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as missing out on Lampkin would’ve been catastrophic for the team’s roster.
Star Transfer Eddie Lampkin Has Landed in Syracuse
Three out of four of Syracuse’s centers entered the transfer portal this off-season. It was clear that Orange needed a solid big man. The senior transfer from Colorado University provides some great size and experience. At six-foot-11 and 265 lbs he should bully opponents in the paint. Per Basketball Reference, he averaged 10.6 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game. Also, the former Buff saw an average of 27 minutes of action per game. Lampkin will likely have even more playing time this upcoming season. The only other center on the roster, Naheem Mcleod, missed most of last season with an injury. Even in the 14 games he played, he averaged just 14 minutes of play. His injury required surgery, and there is no timetable for when McLeod will be healthy.
Trio of Portal Players Strengthen Team
In addition to Eddie Lampkin, Syracuse Head Coach Adrian Autry also landed SG Jyare Davis from Delaware, and Jaquan Carlos, a tough-nosed guard from Hofstra University. Davis will provide a much-needed scoring punch after star player Judah Mintz declared for the NBA Draft. Mintz was the main option on offense, so the former fightin’ blue hen will find the ball in his hands a lot. Carlos comes in after a great season where he averaged 6.3 assists per game, which was seventh-best among all players in the 23-24 season.
After the mass exodus of Orange players to the transfer portal, these three transfers solved the biggest problems the team was facing. Autry may have another trick up his sleeve and we’ll see what other players are added to the roster for this upcoming season.
Buffs need a reboot
Along with Lampkin, Colorado lost Luke O’Brien and J’Vonne Hadley to the transfer portal. Their top two leading scorers last season, KJ Simpson and Tristan Da Silva, have departed for the NBA, you can check out Da Silva’s draft profile from LWOS here. With these players leaving some moves need to be made.
Head Coach Tad Boyle hasn’t wasted any time. Former Washington State Forward Andrej Jakimovski is the biggest name that’s been brought in. Jakimovski should provide a nice outside scoring option and some size at six-foot-eight. Colorado got two non-D1 transfers as well, Elijah Malone and Trevor Baskin. NAIA 23-24 National Player of the Year, Malone comes from Grace College. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds last year and can help fill the hole that was left with Lampkin’s departure. Trevor Baskin is staying in-state, as he is transferring from D2 powerhouse Colorado Mesa. Baskin averaged 18.2 points last season, showing he can make an immediate impact on the Buff’s roster.
Top Portal Players have yet to decide
While many players who have entered the portal have made a decision on where they’re going, a few still need to pick a home. Guys like Jamir Watkins, Jaylen Wells, and Wooga Poplar are still undecided. Many teams still have gaping holes in their roster. It’ll be interesting to see who lands where. Perhaps Colorado or Syracuse will land another big name.
