Getty Image / Isaiah Vazquez
A new era is beginning for Syracuse‘s basketball program.
After 47 years with Jim Boeheim leading the team, they are heading into next season with a new head coach for the first time since the mid-70s.
That change appears to be going pretty well so far.
It has been less than a week since Boeheim retired and his replacement has already hit the ground running.
Adrian Autry was named the head coach of the Orange on Thursday and he has already landed a major transfer.
According to On3 Sports’ Joe Tipton, former Notre Dame guard JJ Starling has decided to transfer to Syracuse.
NEWS: Notre Dame transfer JJ Starling has committed to Syracuse, he told @On3sports.
Former 5⭐️ and McDonalds’ All-American.
Starling goes in-depth on his decision here: https://t.co/NBA8L2UqZu pic.twitter.com/7FxQR9310h
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) March 14, 2023
Starling was a McDonald’s All-American and a 5-star recruit for the Fighting Irish. He lived up to expectations in his first year at Notre Dame.
As a Freshman, Starling was 4th in scoring for the Irish, averaging 11.2 points per game while also chipping in 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
Those were strong numbers for a freshman and could get better in his 2nd year if he can improve his efficiency.
Starling shot 42.1% from the field this season and made just 29.9% of his 3-point attempts.
Next season, he could form a formidable backcourt duo with another standout freshman.
Judah Mintz quickly became a star for the Orange this year, averaging 16.3 points and 4.6 assists per game during his first season at Syracuse.
Pairing these two guards is a great start for Syracuse as they attempt to bounce back from a couple of seasons where they have hovered around .500 even as they faced a weaker than usual ACC.
With such a big first move, we can only wonder what else Autry has in store for Syracuse during his first offseason in charge.