Syracuse Orange transfer Eddie Lampkin Jr. isn’t your typical center. The Houston native, much like his home city, is vibrant. Whether it be his off-court fashion or unorthodox playing style, he likes to be different in his own way. The big man on campus recently had an interview with No Destination, a Syracuse media outlet. In the video the Orange transfer details why he chose Syracuse, his goals for the year, and his excellent passing ability.
New Syracuse Transfer Plans To Expand His Game
So Why Did Eddie Lampkin Transfer to Syracuse?
As the former Colorado Buff pointed out, Syracuse has not had a good center in over 10 years. There have been some great power forwards, including former NBA players Tyler Lydon and Rakeem Christmas. But the last center of the same caliber as Lampkin was fan-favorite Arinze Onuaku. Rather than following someone else’s footsteps, the big man wants to forge his own path. Regardless, he’s focused on what’s at Syracuse “right now”. On top of that, the senior transfer mentioned that he wanted to expand his game stating:
“I was just trying to find somewhere that I could play my game…be able to come shoot 3’s, just do different stuff that people don’t expect me to do”
Familiar Faces
When asked what teammates he was excited to play with at Cuse, Lampkin gave the perfect answer, all of them. He said he’s familiar with a lot of the players, even incoming freshman Elijah “Choppa” Moore. Additionally, he has been in contact with “JD and JC”, which are his fellow transfers, Jyare Davis and Jaquan Carlos.
During his initial visit to the 315 Lampkin’s host was Junior Chris Bell. Bell, a sharpshooting forward, will help provide ample spacing for Eddie to work. If he and Chris Bell share the court together, we should see some fireworks for the Cuse offense.
“If I’m 1-on-1…you gotta double. So if me and him are on the same side…I can throw it anywhere he can shoot that and it’s water”
Improving His Game
Lampkin would love to get his teammates involved. As he stated in the interview, rebounding and passing are a great way to find a spot in the NBA. As long as his teammates can catch it, he’ll pass it. The big man specified he wants to be able to “read off catching the ball”.
When asked who he models his game after, he gave a unique answer, NBA Naz Reid. Reid is a fantastic role player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He won this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award. In the regular season, Reid made a vital contribution to the highly successful Timberwolves squad giving them versatility and scoring off the bench. This impact has continued in the playoffs. Lampkin had said he likes to get his teammates involved rather than score himself, as this helps the team win. Both players put their personal agendas aside and have a team-first mentality.
High Hopes
The former Horned Frog and Buffaloe has made it to the big dance three times. With TCU Lampkin advanced to the round of 32 in back-to-back years, 2021-22 and 2022-23. Lampkin also made the round of 32 with Colorado last year.
“I gotta get to the Sweet 16 this year…I went to 32 two years ago and still haven’t got past that, so that’s really my goal right now” Lampkin said.
Despite not being a “blue-blood” the Syracuse Men’s Basketball program is successful. They’re tied for the eighth most NCAA tournament bids with 39, and have 6 final four appearances. What better team to take Lampkin dancing than Syracuse? The Orange didn’t get a bid last year, but they have a good shot this year with a revamped roster. Head Coach Adrian Autry should be able to navigate the influx of talent between the freshmen and transfers. As the season wears on the team will gel together, and they’ll surely be ready come tournament time.
