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Redshirt sophomore Robert Braswell has entered the transfer portal as of Monday, according to a report from college basketball recruiting site Verbal Commits. Braswell is the second Syracuse player to announce his departure, following reserve forward John Bol Ajak.

Braswell was a key contributor to the Orange in 2021, especially down the stretch. The 6-foot-7 forward’s role increased because head coach Jim Boeheim trusted his defensive instincts and basketball IQ. When starter Alan Griffin struggled, Braswell often replaced him and provided sturdy minutes. 

Braswell averaged 3.8 points and shot 36.7% from the field on the season after sitting out his freshman year with leg injuries. Against Pittsburgh early in the season, Braswell broke out with 12 points. He later scored 11 in SU’s Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament win over North Carolina State. 

“Without Robert, we wouldn’t have had a chance,” Boeheim said after the Pitt game, a 63-60 loss. 

The South Carolina native played at least 20 minutes in four of SU’s final five games. He and center Jesse Edwards were part of a monumental bench unit in March, when the Orange won five of six games before falling to Houston in the Sweet 16. In Syracuse’s second-round win over West Virginia, Braswell supplanted Griffin for 29 minutes, scoring seven points and hauling in three rebounds.

“Robert’s really getting there,” Boeheim said. 

On Brent Axe’s radio show, Boeheim suggested that there could be as many as six transfers. There’s already been a record amount of players entering the portal this year, with the NCAA expected to adopt a one-time blanket waiver for immediate eligibility.

Published on March 29, 2021 at 5:11 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman