Top-50 combo guard Judah Mintz commits to Syracuse

Judah Mintz, a 6-foot-3 combo guard out of Oak Hill (Va.) Academy has committed to Syracuse, he tells On3.

The DMV native chose the Orange over DePaul, Wake Forest, and NC State. He was originally committed to Pittsburgh but backed off his pledge in November.

Mintz is ranked as the No. 50 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Mintz joins a loaded recruiting class and becomes the sixth addition to the group. He joins four-star SF Chris Bunch, three-star SF Justin Taylor, three-star CG Quadir Copeland, three-star PF Maliq Brown, and three-star PF Peter Carey.

Mintz breaks down his decision

Mintz’s decision to choose the Orange might come as a shock, considering DePaul was viewed as the heavy favorite. So why Syracuse?

“The opportunity there for me, being at a historic program, and being able to play a major role as a freshman at a place like Syracuse is unmatched,” Mintz says. “I think it really fits me. Being able to come in and be a lead guard and play amongst shooters and with someone like Jesse (Edwards) at center… I think it’s going to be somewhere I can really thrive in.

“I feel like Coach Boeheim, the way he spoke to me… it showed me how much confidence he has in my abilities.”

When did Mintz realize he would call Syracuse home?

“I think watching the ACC Tournament, watching that game against Duke, and seeing how intense it was…seeing the style of basketball in the ACC, it really caught my eye.”

What was Cuse’s recruiting pitch?

“They were really telling me, don’t come if I don’t expect big things out of myself. Like don’t try and think you can ease your way into it because they’re going to need me to step into a really big role. And having a big role in the ACC and having your coaches believe that you’re ready to do it right now, that’s really big for me. Just really being able to be a point guard, be a lead guard, it really had me sold.”

How does Judah Mintz describe his game, and what does he bring to the team?

“I would say I’m a high-energy guy, that is a playmaker. I’ve always been a two-guard for my whole high school career, but I think this year at Oak Hill, I’ve shown my ability to be on the ball, and be more than just a scorer. I think what I really bring is my ability to make plays either scoring or passing.”