Judah Mintz Syracuse Feb 14, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Judah Mintz (3) reacts to a made three-point basket against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Judah Mintz waited until the very last minute, but he’s made his decision — he’s returning to the Syracuse Orange.

The 6-foot-3 point guard announced his intention to withdraw from the 2023 NBA Draft late Wednesday, only a few hours before the midnight deadline for players to withdraw from the draft to retain their college eligibility.

Mintz announced his decision with a video posted to Syracuse Basketball’s Twitter account.

This is obviously good news for the Orange and their fans, who had only seen Mintz play for one season but know he’s a player to build a team around. He averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists per game, and led the ACC with 1.8 steals per contest. He earned ACC All-Rookie team honors.

The news thrilled Orange fans, stunning some of them so badly they forgot how to click off the “Caps Lock” key on their keyboards.

“THIS IS SUCH A WEIGHT OFF OUR SHOULDERS KNOWING HE IS BACK HAS ME SO PUMPED AND EXCITED!!!!” posted Syracuse Superfan.

The Orange finished 17-15 last year in legendary head coach Jim Boeheim’s final season. Former Syracuse star Adrian Autry is the new head coach.

[Syracuse Basketball]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.