Tyus Battle to Syracuse: Orange Land 5-Star SG Prospect

Jim Boeheim's impending retirement has apparently not hurt Syracuse on the recruiting trail, as 5-star shooting guard Tyus Battle announced his commitment to the school Monday:

Battle, a rising senior out of Gill St. Bernard's School in New Jersey, chose Syracuse over offers from nearly every major program in the country. Most expected his decision to come down to Syracuse or Duke, with 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictions giving the Orange a 60-40 shot. Both schools ascended to the forefront of his commitment after he decommitted from Michigan last month.

Battle gave Syracuse his lone visit following that announcement, and the coaching staff sold him on becoming an integral piece in the offense going forward.

"I wanted to be closer to home," Battle said, per Jeff Borzello and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. "They told me I could be a versatile guard who could have the ball in my hands a lot."

Battle's commitment is just the latest piece of good news for Syracuse, which for a brief time seemed like it was headed for a downward spiral. An improper benefits and academic scandal left the Orange with 12 fewer scholarships over the next four seasons and called Boeheim's job security into question. The coach later took the decision into his own hands by announcing he plans to retire in three seasons.

Battle said the appointment of Mike Hopkins as Boeheim's coach-in-waiting helped give Syracuse a boost.

"It mattered," Battle said. "He's a great guy who will be a terrific head coach. He's high-energy, and I'm very comfortable and confident in Coach Hop."

Still, if all goes to plan, Battle will be in the NBA by the time Hopkins takes over. Ranked as the No. 24 player and No. 6 shooting guard in 247Sports' composite rankings, Battle is a talented and athletic offensive player who also projects as a strong defender. Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports noted he may even be limiting his potential defensively:

Assuming he continues to fine-tune the rough aspects of his game, it's possible Battle ascends into the 2016 class' top 20 by the time he arrives.

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