Syracuse Orange men’s basketball player profiles: Chris Bunch

The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season draws near with the team’s first exhibition game just over two weeks away. As such, we continue along with our player profiles, this time with freshman forward Chris Bunch.

Bunch played three seasons of high school basketball at De La Salle in Concord, California. He finished high school basketball at Wasatch Academy in Utah last season. As a freshman, Bunch figures to earn playing time from the forward position and he’ll compete for a starting role.

Bunch fits the mold of a long, rangy forward that Syracuse fans are assuredly familiar with. He can shoot it at a high level and his athleticism is most apparent near the rim in a way that reminds of James Southerland.

Position: Forward

Class: Freshman

Vitals: 6-foot-7, 180 lbs

Statistics (2021-2022): 12.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.5 apg at Wasatch Academy

Strengths/Weaknesses: Bunch’s best attribute is his shooting ability, a skillset that would seem to complement Benny Williams on the opposite wing. He should help space the floor for guys like Williams, Symir Torrence and Judah Mintz. It’s too soon to tell how well Bunch plays off the dribble in his first season or how well he defends, but he can shoot it at a high level from both the three and mid-range.

Ceiling: Bunch solidifies himself as a starter and knocks down shots to make him a respectable deep threat. He’s able to knock down shots from mid-range and run the floor for transition dunks. Defensively, Bunch proves himself as a quick study within the zone and rebounds it well.

Floor: Bunch provides little else beside his shooting but still proves valuable enough to earn playing time off the bench.