Syracuse's potential PG problem 

One of the things prospects often talk about when going through the recruiting process is the “opportunity to play right away.”

In most cases, what they mean is that they don’t just want to play right away, they want to play a lot right away. They want to be in the starting lineup from Day One and they want the opportunity to play through their mistakes on the floor. Typically, it’s only in hindsight that prospects see the value of being able to learn on the job and gain experience before being thrust into the limelight.

Take, for example, Syracuse sophomore guard Michael Carter-Williams. He was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of St. Andrew’s School (R.I.) but saw very limited minutes last year as a freshman with Dion Waiters, Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche taking up most of the backcourt minutes.

After a year of on-the-job training, Waiters moved on to the NBA and Jardine graduated, opening the door for Carter-Williams to be inserted into the starting lineup. He’s taken the Big East by storm this season and is now projected to be a lottery pick in this June’s NBA draft, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford.

Carter-Williams’ potential early departure sets the stage for Syracuse’s next incoming point guard, ESPN 100 prospect Tyler Ennis (Brampton, Ontario/St. Benedict’s), to have an “opportunity to play right away.” Only problem being, what may look like a major opportunity now could prove to be an incredible burden for a freshman to handle on Day One of his college career.

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