Position Preview: Center

A look at the center position for Syracuse basketball ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Mike McAllister | Nov 22, 2020

Position Preview: Center /

Projected Starter

Bourama Sidibe: Sidibe had an up and down 2020-21 season. He struggled with foul trouble for much of the year, but really came on strong down the stretch of the season. On the season overall, he averaged six points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. Over the last six games, he bumped those up to 9.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.3 steals. He can give Syracuse productivity like those last six games over the course of an entire season, he makes them a complete different team.

Key Reserves

Jesse Edwards: Edwards showed flashes last season of being a skilled offensive big. An offseason of development, including studying the zone, gives him the potential to be a key reserve to spell Sidibe either for rest or foul trouble. The key for Edwards is to be more physical and not get pushed around inside.

Frank Anselem: A 6-10, 210 pound freshman center, Anselem has been impressive during practice. He is athletic, can really jump and has tremendous potential on both ends. It is always difficult for true freshman bigs to master the zone, which is the key to consistent playing time.

Biggest Question

Who will backup Bourama Sidibe? It could be Edwards, it could be Anselem. Heck, even John Bol Ajak would be an option. Our guess is that it is Edwards due to his experience last season. It would not be a surprise to Anselem sprinkled in a little here and there as well. Whoever coach Boeheim has the most confidence in defensively is the guy who will fill that role.

Published Nov 22, 2020

MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting. EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans. After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years. Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports. Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College.