Girard will stay in the ACC for his final year of college basketball.
Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Former Syracuse Orange men’s basketball guard Joe Girard will transfer to Clemson, he announced. Girard’s final season of college eligibility will be played out in the ACC for Brad Brownell.
Clemson, Let’s Do This Thing! #BeDifferent pic.twitter.com/mc9XHOvc51
— Joseph Girard III (@JG3_____) May 7, 2023
Girard came to Syracuse as New York State’s all-time leading scorer in high school basketball after scoring 4,763 points at Glens Falls. After earning the starting point guard role just two games into his freshman season he never came off the bench again. He was a four-year starter in orange for Jim Boeheim.
Girard averaged double-figure scoring each year at Syracuse except for a down 2020-21 season where a bout with covid led to a sophomore slump. After turning it on down the stretch, he helped Syracuse advance to the Sweet 16.
As a junior, Girard shot a career-best 40.3% from outside while scoring 12.8 points per game and averaging 4.2 assists. Girard played point guard for his first three seasons at Syracuse but slid to the off-ball position in his senior year where he led Syracuse in scoring, averaging a career-high 16.4 points per game.
Girard passed Andy Rautins for third all-time at Syracuse in 3-pointers made with 297, sitting behind only Gerry McNamara and his former teammate Buddy Boeheim. He finished 8th in program history in assists with 445, 17th in points scored with 1,652 and 22nd in steals with 165. He’s second to only McNamara in free throw percentage at 86.3 percent.
Syracuse was able to secure commitments from guards JJ Starling and Chance Westry in the transfer portal while Quadir Copeland and Justin Taylor are capable of playing guard as well.
Syracuse and Clemson will play twice in 2023-24, meaning Girard will get a return game to the JMA Wireless Dome in 2024.
