Ranking the Contenders: Marcus Adams Jr.
California-based forward Marcus Adams Jr., is in the midst of a senior season that has raised his stock exponentially. Currently unranked in the Rivals150, the Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne High School is having the kind of season that makes him a sure thing to crack the list when the list updates early next month.
Adams, who has been the subject of reclassification rumors, could end up in the class of 2023 before things are said and done, but the biggest news for now is the fact that he recently trimmed his list to five. Just Syracuse, Texas, Oregon, UCLA and Mississippi State are alive in the race to land the California-based star, so Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy takes this opportunity to rank those schools in order of how likely each is to land his commitment.
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1. SYRACUSE
The Orange hosted Adams for his most recent visit – the only official he's taken – and things seem to have gone swimmingly during said trip. The fact that the 6-foot-8 forward trimmed his list in the immediate aftermath bodes well for Syracuse, which recently added an elite shooter in the form of Elijah Moore to its 2024 class and seem to be picking up momentum on the recruiting trail after a lull.
Syracuse sees Adams as a possible one-and-done type player and has certainly piqued his interest with that pitch. There’s time for things to change, sure, but head coach Jim Boeheim should like where he stands at this juncture. The possibility of a reclassification into 2023 also exists, and that would work well for the Orange, which are still without a signee in that class.
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2. UCLA
The Bruins are probably the second-most likely landing spot for Adams, but one big hurdle remains on that front – UCLA still needs to offer him a scholarship. Like everyone else, the Bruins have taken notice of the junior’s big season and are certainly keeping him in mind, but nothing official has shaken on the offer front just yet.
Should the Bruins pull the trigger, things could move fast between Adams and the in-state power. Players with options don’t often include schools that have not yet offered on their lists of finalists just to blow them off when an offer arrives, after all.
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3. TEXAS
Adams has not taken an official to Texas, and it’s pretty difficult to imagine him choosing a school without a long-term head coach in place. Alas, the Longhorns are included in his top five, so we’ll include them here just in case.
Adams seems intrigued by the idea of Rodney Terry as Texas’ permanent leader, but unless the Longhorns remove the interim tag in a hurry, logic suggests the touted forward will likely be headed elsewhere.
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4. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State is yet to get an official visit from Adams but was included in his top five nevertheless. The Bulldogs have plenty of work to do, including getting Adams on campus, if they want to be considered a serious player. The longer things stretch out, the better it will be for MSU, which needs time to set up an official visit.
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5. OREGON
On one hand, Oregon would give Adams, a California native, the opportunity to stay on the West Coast. On the other hand, however, the Ducks don’t seem like a serious player at the moment. If a decision comes soon, as Adams has said it may, don’t expect Dana Altman’s program to be the pick. The relationship in place isn’t particularly strong, and Adams has not visited Eugene.