Joe Girard to test NBA draft waters, enters transfer portal

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Syracuse guard Joe Girard III has announced that he will be entering his name into the NBA Draft process while also maintaining his eligibility. In a post on Twitter, the senior also stated that he will be entering the transfer portal as well. He said that he wanted to “keep his options open and gather as much information as possible.”

Girard, who just completed his fourth season with the Orange, finishes as one of the best 3-point shooters in school history, making 297 3s with a 36.3% career 3-point percentage. This season, he made 88 3s and shot 38.1% from beyond the arc, averaging 16.4 points and three assists per game while playing 34.5 minutes per game. He was a starter at both point guard and shooting guard under former head coach Jim Boeheim.

The Glens Falls native led his high school to a state title in basketball in 2019, making his varsity debut as an eighth grader and finishing his career in high school with the 10th-most points in school history. He was named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York’s Mr. Basketball. He chose the Orange over 24 other offers, including Duke, Baylor, Boston College, Michigan, Notre Dame and Washington.

After Judah Mintz committed to Syracuse last year, Girard was once again moved to shooting guard, where he said prior to the season he felt more comfortable. He benefitted — at times — from Mintz’s ability to create open looks and worked frequently with Jesse Edwards on pick-and-rolls. Girard notched a season-high 31 points against Richmond and hit a season-high six 3-pointers in Jan. 21’s win over Georgia Tech.

Mintz also declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. But former Notre Dame guard JJ Starling recently transferred to Syracuse, and Justin Taylor and Quadir Copeland remain on the roster.