A little less than a month after de-committing from Michigan, Tyus Battle settled on Syracuse, a school he has reportedly been eyeing all along.

The class of 2016 standout guard told ESPN he chose Syracuse because it was closer to his hometown of Edison, N.J. But he also indicated head coach Jim Boeheim and his staff outlined a plan for better playing time and usage.

"I wanted to be closer to home," Battle told ESPN. "They told me I could be a versatile guard who could have the ball in my hands a lot."

Scout.com reported Battle's first commitment to Michigan in May, his father telling the website his son was also considering Connecticut, Syracuse and Duke, among others. Battle told Scout.com at the time he like Michigan's emphasis on academics and he said as much to ESPN in confirming his new commitment.

"Michigan is a great school, and I love the people, the staff and Coach Beilein," Battle said. "But the key was the distance."

About a month after committing to Michigan, ESPN learned Battle planned a visit to Syracuse promptly afterward. His decision to give the school a firm commitment apparently had a lot to do with Boeheim's successor.

Since head coaches in college basketball are so vital for recruiting, Battle wanted to be confident in the coach he would playing for after Boeheim steps down in three years.

"It mattered," Battle told ESPN of Mike Hopkins appointment as the next coach of the Orange men's basketball team. "He's a great guy who will be a terrific head coach. He's high-energy, and I'm very comfortable and confident in Coach Hop."

Battle ranks 27th on the ESPN 100 and is rated among the best players at his position in the class of 2016.