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Syracuse’s roster will look brand new next season. Seven players entered the transfer portal after SU’s abysmal 15-17 campaign, and four players are out of eligibility.

Barring Nate Kingz receiving a waiver for an extra year, highly-touted recruits Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White Jr. are the Orange’s only confirmed returnees who averaged more than two minutes per game in the 2025-26 season. It’s similar to last year, when Donnie Freeman and J.J. Starling were SU’s only significant returners.

Then, SU reeled in five freshmen and six transfers. The Orange still need to fill their roster for the 2026-27 season in the coming weeks, but new head coach Gerry McNamara — who took over after Adrian Autry’s firing — and his staff have already started doing the same, bringing in a slew of new additions to try to haul Syracuse back to relevancy.

Here’s a breakdown of the Orange’s roster changes one week after the transfer portal’s opening:

Guard

Returning: Kiyan Anthony, Noah Lobdell
Departing: J.J. Starling, Nate Kingz, Naithan George, Luke Fennell, Aaron Womack, Bryce Zephir
Additions: Gavin Doty, Aiden Tobiason, Garwey Dual, Ryan Moesch

SU’s guard group has seen the most change. Despite Starling ending his college career by scoring two or fewer points in each of his last four games, he’s still a major loss. Starling was at his best when complimented by Naithan George, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 5.4 assists per game. George transferred to Pitt Monday, leaving Syracuse without its starting backcourt.

Kingz is seeking an extra year of eligibility after missing the 2023-24 campaign with an injury and previously spending time at NAIA and junior colleges. Retaining Kingz — who averaged 12.2 points last season — would add much-needed familiarity to a roster lacking Power Five experience.

Freshmen Luke Fennell and Aaron Womack also hopped in the portal, and Bryce Zephir is out of eligibility. None were major losses; Womack didn’t appear in a game and redshirted, while neither Fennell nor Zephir scored more than 1.5 points per game.

The only returning guard — besides walk-on Noah Lobdell — is Anthony. His first college season was a mixed bag.

The four-star recruit and son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony opened his college career with three 15-plus point games. But that hot start petered out once Starling returned from an early injury. Anthony finished with an average of eight points a game but often struggled to shoot consistently or contribute defensively. Still, McNamara is almost certainly glad to have him back.

Zoey Grimes | Design Editor

Once the portal opened, McNamara immediately got to work replacing Syracuse’s six departing guards. He made a splash by adding Gavin Doty — a Fulton, New York, native who followed McNamara from Siena. Doty led the Saints to March Madness with a team-leading 18 points per game, and he scored 21 points in a near-upset of Duke in the Round of 64. His goals with the Orange are even loftier.

“I want to win a natty. Why not us?” Doty told News10 ABC after his commitment. “I believe it. That’s the goal we have in mind, to win games in March.”

Besides Doty, SU also plucked Temple’s Aiden Tobiason and McNeese State’s Garwey Dual out of the portal. Tobiason broke out as a sophomore with the Owls, averaging 15.3 points on 48% shooting after minuscule numbers as a freshman. Dual, meanwhile, was one of the best defenders in the portal. He’s now joining his fourth team in four years and has yet to average double-digit points at any stop. Only time will tell what potential McNamara unlocks.

SU also gained a 2026 commit in four-star guard Ryan Moesch Tuesday. Moesch was originally committed to Siena but followed McNamara to the Orange, becoming their highest-ranked 2026 recruit. In his junior year at Chittenango High School, he led New York state with 36.3 points per game.

Forward

Returning: Sadiq White Jr., Calvin Russell III
Departing: Donnie Freeman, Tyler Betsey, Akir Souare
Additions: Tasman Goodrick, Mark Morano Mahmutovič

Though Freeman wasn’t as consistent as Syracuse would’ve liked this year, his departure is another massive blow. Freeman can take over games when he’s on, but when he’s off, it isn’t pretty. Despite bumping his scoring average up to 16.5 points per game, he logged 2.5 turnovers a contest. Still, he was an offensive focal point that SU must replace.

Tyler Betsey also played a key bench role that Syracuse will miss. His 40.7% 3-point rate easily led the squad, and his transfer to BYU won’t help SU’s aforementioned outside shooting woes. On the other hand, Akir Souare was a non-factor, racking up over two times more fouls (53) than points (25) last season.

Thankfully for SU, though, White is back. Syracuse’s top class of 2025 recruit — and the No. 26 recruit nationally — showed promise in his first year. White prides himself on his defense, but his six points per game on 54.7% from the field displayed his offensive potential. With his gutsy late-season play, he showed why he was worth coaxing back.

Sadiq White is guarded by North Carolina’s Seth Trimble in Syracuse’s matchup with UNC. White is poised to play a major role in SU’s frontcourt as one of two returning forwards. Leonardo Eriman | Daily Orange File Photo

The only other returnee of this bunch, two-sport star Calvin Russell III, is currently nursing an Achilles injury he suffered in SU’s spring football camp that will keep him out for part of the fall. He enrolled early and joined SU midway through last season, playing in one game. It’s unclear when he’ll return to the court.

Meanwhile, McNamara lured another member of his Siena crew to Syracuse’s frontcourt, bringing in forward/center Tasman Goodrick. Before missing the second half of the 2025-26 campaign with a knee injury, Goodrick averaged 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds, and he’ll likely improve SU’s subpar rebounding last season.

Slovenian wing Mark Morano Mahmutovič also committed to SU’s 2026 class. Morano Mahmutovič is known for his 3-point accuracy, and he can help improve the Orange’s appalling 32.9% rate from deep last year, which ranked 17th in the ACC.

Center

Returning: None
Departing: William Kyle III, Tiefing Diawara
Additions: Tasman Goodrick

The Orange are in dire need of a new center. Right now, Goodrick is the only real option.

UCLA transfer William Kyle III was Syracuse’s starting center last season. Freshman Tiefing Diawara also received sparse minutes, only playing in four contests and not appearing in a game after December. He entered the portal at season’s end.

Kyle shouldered the bulk of the load, logging 28.2 minutes per game and starting all 32 matchups. Albeit undersized for a center, Kyle used his freakishly long wingspan and superb vertical jump to make up for his 6-foot-9 frame. He averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and an absurd 2.5 blocks a game, which ranked eighth nationally.

All that to say, Kyle being out of eligibility left a gaping hole in SU’s roster.

Goodrick could fill this spot, though it depends on the Orange’s final makeup. He’s 6-foot-10 and his rebounding ability fits the position, an especially welcome sign considering SU’s top three rebounders will all be gone next year.

Syracuse would be lucky to find another diamond in the rough like Kyle. Before the Orange scooped him up, he was coming off an injury-riddled season where he averaged three points per game for UCLA. Even if McNamara opts for Goodrick as SU’s primary starter, the position’s nonexistent depth makes it one of the most pressing needs for him to address.

Published on April 14, 2026 at 11:30 pm
Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @Noahnuss99