Earlier this week, Hofstra junior point guard Jaquan Carlos announced he was transferring to Syracuse Basketball and said in an interview that he built a strong relationship with the Orange coaches during a recent visit to the Hill.
The 6-foot Carlos is a pure pass-first point guard from Brooklyn, New York who has great court vision and gets after it defensively.
He told 247Sports' top analyst Mike McAllister that he's excited to suit up for the 'Cuse and play for the Empire State program, considering he's from New York City and Hofstra is on New York's Long Island. He said he was doing it.
“It's definitely a great feeling being a New York kid and not having to leave the state or the East Coast,” Carlos, a four-star transfer prospect, told McAllister. “It definitely feels great.”
The Orange staff, led by head coach Adrian Autry, has deep recruiting connections and relationships throughout New York City and the Empire State, as well as the Washington, D.C., to Baltimore corridor. These are his two focal points that are important in the adoption of “Cuse” from a geographical perspective.
In the Big Apple and New York State, Autry and Assistant coach Allen Griffin We also have a long track record in recruitment. They each grew up in New York City and were star high school basketball players in New York City.
Carlos said in a chat with McAllister, “Coach Red, Coach Griff, Coach Dan, and Coach B. They're East Coast, New York guys. Especially Coach Red and Coach Griff. It's just a relationship. It's a family bond.'' That's what I learned during my visit. ”
According to media reports at the time, Carlos was contacted by a number of college teams, including the Orange, after he entered the transfer portal in late March. However, as Mr. McAllister pointed out, the only place Carlos visited after entering the portal was “Cues.”
“Some other schools were definitely trying to get me to visit,” Carlos said. “But I loved this opportunity here.”
Carlos averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game during the 2023-24 season, when Hofstra, a member of the Coastal Athletic Association (“CAA”), posted an overall record of 20 wins and 13 losses. He scored 41.3 percent. He shot 34.4 percent from the field, 89.2 percent from beyond the arc and 89.2 percent from the free throw line.
As a junior, Carlos led the CAA in assists per game, was third in the league in assist/turnover ratio per game, and was named to the conference's All-Defensive team. On Thursday, I published an article in which two of New York City hoops' top experts provided insight into Carlos' all-around play.
In short, he is said to be a great floor general who excels on both ends of the floor and is always trying to make the teammates around him better.
Carlos agrees with that opinion. When asked by 247Sports what he'll bring to Syracuse basketball in 2024-25, he said, “Just the quarterback, the quarterback of the team. Playing hard every night and doing what it takes to do that. is a selfless player who will do anything to win the game. ”
The 'Cuse have acquired at least two guards this offseason, with sophomore point guard Judah Mintz heading to the 2024 NBA Draft. Whether Carlos is a starter or a key reserve off the bench, he will prove to be a key contributor to the Orange's success next season.