4-Star PG Prospect Jalen Carey Commits to Syracuse over UConn

The Syracuse Orange added a perimeter playmaker to their future roster Wednesday when guard Jalen Carey joined their 2018 recruiting class. 

Pat Lawless of Made Hoops shared the announcement video:

Carey, who checks in at 6'3" and 170 pounds, is a 4-star recruit, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and the No. 54 overall player and No. 11 point guard in his class. He attracted interest from some of the top programs in the country, as schools such as Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Florida and Notre Dame, among others, were all included on 247's schools of interest list at one point.

One of the aspects of Carey's game that surely attracted so many top-notch programs is his versatility.

He can play off the ball as a wing scorer or handle it as a point guard. His ability to play multiple positions should help him challenge for early playing time at the next level, but he explained his true ambitions during the recruiting process.

"I want to look like a true point guard [when I get to college]," Carey said, per Kevin Flaherty of 247Sports. "Russell Westbrook is my favorite point guard in the NBA, so I want to be able to model my game after him. That's what I've been working on a lot with my coaches, my dad, just working on my point guard stuff."

There are far worse players to pick than the defending NBA MVP when modeling one's game as a prospect, and Carey possesses the athleticism and scoring ability to slash through the lane like Westbrook does on a nightly basis.

He can also extend his offensive attack to beyond the three-point line and create openings for his teammates when opposing defenses are forced to honor his shooting stroke.

If Carey can capitalize on his potential, he will be a critical addition for Syracuse as it looks to compete for conference championships and more in the coming years with him in the backcourt.