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Syracuse’s best commit since Carmelo Anthony might arrive a year earlier than expected.

Dior Johnson is considering reclassifying from 2022 to 2021, according to reports from Rivals and Stockrisers. If he reclassifies, the No. 5 recruit in 2022 would join four-star forward Benny Williams in SU’s 2021 class and be a 17-year-old freshman.

After he committed to Syracuse in February, Johnson became the subject of speculation on whether he’d jump straight from high school to the NBA if the league changed its minimum age requirement. Considering a move to the 2021 class dispels those rumors.

Johnson wrote in a February blog post for Sports Illustrated that he’s fully committed to SU and wants to beat the blue blood schools.

“I want to create my own legacy,” he wrote.

The No. 1 point guard also wrote in the blog post that he’s staying in the class of 2022, though he liked both Twitter reports from Stockrisers and Rivals on Wednesday night.

Other likely notable players on the 2021 Orange roster include Joe Girard III, Buddy Boeheim, Frank Anselem, Alan Griffin and Kadary Richmond.

A 5-star prospect from Saugerties, New York, Johnson recently transferred from Mayfair High School (California) to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. During the 2019-20 season, he averaged 23.3 points and 4.9 assists per game while helping the Monsoons to a 17-12 record.

Published on July 1, 2020 at 10:54 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman