Syracuse Basketball: It’s time for SU to get back on top, Judah Mintz says

Syracuse basketball point guard Judah Mintz, who had a strong freshman season for the Orange, is pumped up about the team’s prospects in the 2023-24 campaign.

The 6-foot-3 Mintz, a few days ago, said that he would return to the ‘Cuse for his sophomore year after testing the 2023 NBA Draft waters. Some mock projections had him going in the mid to late second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, however, Mintz elected to head back to the Hill, a development that has Orange Nation ecstatic.

With Judah Mintz returning, the Syracuse basketball 2023-24 roster is set at 13 scholarship players. The ‘Cuse did lose a bunch of scoring with center Jesse Edwards transferring to West Virginia and shooting guard Joe Girard III transferring to Clemson.

However, head coach Adrian Autry and his assistants picked up three promising guards and one extremely tall center via the NCAA’s transfer portal. The squad’s backcourt looks stacked for this upcoming season.

Naturally, there are some question marks, namely, the center position, along with the team’s efforts on the defensive end and in the rebounding department. Additionally, we’ll have to see how this Orange roster fares from beyond the arc.

But point guard Judah Mintz coming back was a big-time boost for Syracuse basketball.

Led by Mintz, rising junior forward Benny Williams, rising sophomore forward Chris Bell and others, the team’s line-up will possess length, speed, depth and versatility, without question.

Autry, who will be in his first year as the Orange’s head coach after replacing the Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim this past March, has said that he will likely use a mix of man-to-man and zone defenses. He wants to play fast and up-tempo, creating steals and scoring easy buckets out in transition. With a deep bench, I envision Autry utilizing a full-court or half-court press more than in other recent seasons.

Over the past two years, the ‘Cuse has gone a combined 33-32, including 17-15 a stanza ago. The squad has also missed the past two NCAA Tournaments.

Judah Mintz, in a statement provided to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin after he decided to withdraw his name from the 2023 NBA Draft, says there is a “feeling of unfinished business” from the 2022-23 season, when Syracuse basketball lost a multitude of close games.

While Boeheim’s resume is one for the ages, Mintz says that Autry, who was instrumental in recruiting him to the Orange, “is the perfect man for the job.” The Syracuse basketball point guard notes that Autry is bringing to the team new ideas and a new philosophy, and Mintz is “excited” for the 2023-24 term.

This is my favorite part of Mintz’s statement, when he says “it’s time for Syracuse to get back to where we belong. On top.” Yes, please.

Should ‘Cuse return to that mountain top, when it was not sweating out Selection Sunday, earning high seeds in the Big Dance and competing for regular-season conference crowns, Judah Mintz will be an integral reason why.

The Fort Washington, Md., native, a consensus four-star prospect in the 2022 class out of the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., averaged 33.3 minutes, 16.3 points, 4.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.4 turnovers per game in 2022-23.

He was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2022-23 All-Freshman team and also selected to the 2023 Kyle Macy freshmen All-American team.

I can’t wait to see what Judah Mintz has in store for his sophomore season in Central New York.