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As the NBA Draft unfolds tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Syracuse University will see its men's basketball team go unrepresented for the fifth consecutive year. This marks the longest stretch without a draft pick for Syracuse since the NBA's inception in 1946. The last Syracuse player selected was Elijah Hughes, who was the 39th overall pick by the Utah Jazz in 2020.
The absence of Syracuse players in the draft is part of a larger trend among Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools. Syracuse's current drought is one of the longest in the ACC, with only a few schools experiencing longer gaps. Despite this, the future looks promising for Syracuse, as sophomore Donnie Freeman and incoming freshmen Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White are seen as potential top NBA prospects for 2026.
Freeman, a 6-foot-10 forward, is already projected as a possible first-round pick for next year's draft. According to Syracuse.com, he is ranked No. 23 in early mock drafts. Meanwhile, Anthony and White have shown strong performances in high school, suggesting they could also be future NBA contenders.
Syracuse's lack of recent draft picks has limited its presence in the NBA. Players like Jerami Grant, who was drafted in 2014, and Oshae Brissett, who played for the Boston Celtics, are among the few Syracuse alumni currently in the league. However, the potential of Freeman, Anthony, and White offers hope for a resurgence in Syracuse's representation in the NBA.