Syracuse Basketball: Analysts detail stellar skill-set of 4-star Judah Mintz

At the end of March, Syracuse basketball bolstered its already solid 2022 recruiting class by picking up a commitment from four-star guard Judah Mintz, pushing this cycle to six commits for the ‘Cuse.

The one-time Pittsburgh commit picked the Orange over DePaul, Wake Forest and N.C. State. The 6-foot-3 Mintz, who was a star in his senior season for Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., is rated as high as No. 35 nationally in the 2022 cycle by ESPN.

Numerous recruiting services also rate him as a top-10 guard across the country in this class.

So what is the ‘Cuse getting in Judah Mintz? I’ve perused a bunch of comments on his game from various experts, including national analysts and his Oak Hill Academy head coach, and it does seem that there is a lot to like about Mintz’s overall skill-set.

Let’s see what pundits are saying about Syracuse basketball commit Judah Mintz.

Multiple experts, including 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein, praise Mintz for his versatility on both ends of the floor. In short, while the new Orange 2022 signee is a stud on offense, he’s also a strong defender.

That’s an encouraging sign, especially considering how woeful the ‘Cuse was in its zone defense during the recently completed season. Finkelstein and others also note that Mintz is athletic, bouncy and competes with a ton of energy.

"Oak Hill Academy head coach Steve Smith, one of the best high-school coaches in the history of the sport, said to college basketball insider Adam Zagoria, “Judah is a combo guard who can facilitate and score. He has great three point range and the ability to get in the paint area and finish. He shoots 85% from the foul line. Judah is also a tremendous on ball defender and leads our team in steals and deflections.”"

High-school hoops analyst and scout Samad Hines characterized Mintz as “one of the toughest prospects in the class.” He hustles, finishes through contact, creates for himself and others, and is a “hard-nosed” defender, according to Hines.

Analysts say that Mintz is a top-flight three-level scorer who can shoot with proficiency from beyond the arc and in the mid-range, and he excels at using his quickness to get into the lane and finish near the rim.

Rob Cassidy, the basketball recruiting director for Rivals.com, says that Mintz is “serviceable” at point guard but probably shines a bit more off the ball at this juncture.

"On defense, per Cassidy, “Mintz’s length and motor have shaped him into a big-time defender capable of guarding multiple positions. His length and quickness terrorizes passing lanes and allows him to be an above-average positional rebounder.”"

In 2021-22, Judah Mintz was among the leading scorers in the prestigious National Interscholastic Basketball Conference. But what really excites me about this new Syracuse basketball signee is that he appears to be the complete package, producing success on both ends of the court.