The Syracuse University basketball program's future just got brighter Tuesday as blue-chip prospect DeJaun Coleman, a 6-foot-9, forward from Jamesville-DeWitt, NY (located just outside of Syracuse), announced in a press conference that he will be taking his talents to the Carrier Dome come next Fall.
""The school I'll be attending this coming fall will be . . . ," Coleman said, before donning a Syracuse hat. He said that he has known he wanted to pick the Orange for the last month, but took visits to Ohio State and Kentucky just to make sure.
"I wanted to make the right decision," he said. "It's close to home. Hanging out with the players, they made me feel like I was home."
CBSSports.com has Coleman the No.-9 ranked recruit of the Class of 2012.
Coleman is a 6-foot-9 center who is one of the more dominant low-post prospects in the country. He carves out space down low with his mammoth, 280-lb. body. Once he gets position, his good hands and assortment of moves make him difficult to stop with his back to the basket. He rebounds extremely well in his area, and controls the lane defensively. Coleman has improved his passing and face-up game, but he still needs to get in better shape on a consistent basis.
Coleman is also ranked No. 14 on the ESPNU 100 list.
Coleman, Syracuse will jump up to No. 10 in the class rankings from being unranked. Jerami Grant, a 6-7, 190-pound forward, previously commited to the Orange. He is the 43rd-ranked player in the ESPNU 100.
From more on Syracuse basketball recruiting class of 2012, check out SB Nation's Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician.