Sadiq White: Three thoughts on Syracuse's latest commitment

Adrian Autry is on the board as Syracuse has landed its first commitment of the 2025 high school recruiting class. Sadiq White, the No. 26 overall player in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking, has decided to call Syracuse, New York home for his college career.

Syracuse is coming off a season that saw the Orange go 20-12 overall. In Autry’s first season after taking over for Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, the team finished fifth in the ACC with an 11-9 record. Syracuse had forward Maliq Brown earn ACC-All Defense honors last season, before transferring to Duke in the off-season.

Let’s go through what Syracuse is getting in their latest commitment.

Who is Sadiq White?

Sadiq White is a 6-foot-8, 180-pound forward and On3’s No. 6 ranked power forward in the 2025 On3 150. White ultimately chose Syracuse over a final group that also included LSU, Alabama, USC, Georgetown, Tennessee, and Texas.

The On3 four-star played his high school ball this season at Charlotte (NC) Myers Park High where he averaged 16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

“I’m an athlete with a high motor,” White told On3. “I am expanding on the offensive side of the game, but I’m a high-level defender. I can guard one through five and I’m out here showing people what I can do. I’ve gotten a little taller, I’m touching the paint, and I’m making some plays.

“My ability to get downhill and guard multiple positions while being an athlete I would say are my best features. I watch a lot of Scottie Barnes and Dillon Mitchell, guys my size who are long and athletic.”

In 12 games this summer with Team United on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, White is averaging 11.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. Over his last two high school seasons, White’s Myers Park team is 55-7 with a state championship win. He was also a finalist for the USA Basketball Junior National U18 Team this summer.

What does he bring to Syracuse?

At his core Sadiq White is a top-level athlete. The 6-foot-8 forward has excellent length with a fluid athleticism and excellent burst. A lot of his production on the court comes from his unique physical dimensions and athletic presence, and it starts on the defensive end.

White is very instinctive in the passing lanes. He has good anticipation off the ball, accumulating deflections and changing ends from defense to offense quickly. He also uses this timing as an off-ball/weakside rim protector. White simply has good anticipation and his twitchy athleticism allows for him to get to some plays that others may not be able to.

While a lot of his counting stats accumulate off the ball, White also has upside guarding the ball. At 6-foot-8 he can slide his feet with perimeter-based forwards and even some off-guards. In Autry’s aggressive defensive scheme, White seems to be an easy fit.

Offensively, White is opportunistic. While the jump shot needs work and there is not much self-creation at this point, he attacks the rim with a purpose in transition. He plays well out of the dunker spots and when rolling to the rim, and he also is a good off-ball cutter. Most of his points come at the rim or at the free-throw line. His leaping ability and lob threat put pressure on the defense to stay connected. It will be interesting to see how Autry uses White on offense.

White on Syracuse

“Coach Red (Autry), Coach B, even G-Mac who just left, they’ve all kept it real with me since day one. They’ve helped me where I need to improve and they’ve produced guys who play like me.”

“They’re one of those staffs that connected with me off the court. With coach Red leading charge in his first season, I’ve seen how much he wants his guys to get to the next level. They all embraced me when I visited. They like my versatility and think that would fit well with how they’re trying to play. I talk with them almost every day, about life, about basketball, about expanding my game. Everything.”