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Basketball Recruiting

Class of 2018 guard Brendan Paul commits to Syracuse as preferred walk-on

Courtesy of Brendan Paul

After four years at Hawken (Ohio) School, Paul is playing his post-graduate year at Brewster (New Hampshire) Academy.

By Charlie DiSturcoSenior Staff Writer

Class of 2018 guard Brendan Paul committed to Syracuse Tuesday afternoon, he announced on Twitter. He will join the Orange as a preferred walk-on.

Paul checks in at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, he said and is in the middle of his fifth year of high school and first at Brewster (New Hampshire) Academy, where he currently rooms with Syracuse commit Buddy Boeheim. He took the extra year, he said, because coaches recommended he get bigger, stronger and faster before making a college decision.



Boeheim told his dad, current SU head coach Jim Boeheim, about Paul and his love for Syracuse. Having already handed out all the scholarships set aside for guards, Paul was offered a preferred walk-on spot, he said.

“I came here over break and have been staying here,” Paul said. “… I decided yesterday that I’d be coming to ‘Cuse for the next four years.”

Before his first year at Brewster, Paul had received Division II and Division III offers and looks from low- and mid-major schools. He attended Hawken (Ohio) School for the four years prior.

The relationship between Paul and the younger Boeheim started when the two shooting threats committed to Brewster. Paul reached out a few weeks before school started to check in on Boeheim and the rumors about his eventual commitment to Syracuse. Paul now considers Boeheim his best friend, he said, and says he believes the now-roommates will likely continue to live together at SU.

“We were stoked,” Paul said on the two coming to Brewster. “… Being like two of the best shooters that we believe are in the East Coast and playing together on the same team was gonna be huge for our team.”

Paul is SU’s fourth commit in 2018, joining Boeheim, ESPN’s No. 9-ranked recruit Darius Bazley and No. 34 Jalen Carey. If no Syracuse players get injured, transfer or leave for the NBA Draft, Paul will join Tyus Battle, Frank Howard, Howard Washington, Elijah Hughes and Carey in the backcourt.





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