J.J. Starling says he’ll be a part of Syracuse in switch from Notre Dame
Former Notre Dame guard J.J. Starling, one of many prime faculty basketball transfers this spring, informed ESPN he has dedicated to play at Syracuse subsequent season.
“I felt like it was a great fit for me,” Starling stated. “The coaching staff are people I know I can put my trust in to handle and manage my career the right way.”
Starling would be the first recruit dedicated to play for newly anointed head coach Adrian Autry, who replaces Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim after his 47-year reign at Syracuse. Starling was beforehand closely pursued by Autry, then the affiliate head coach, as his lead recruiter out of highschool.
“My relationship with Coach Autry is very strong,” Starling stated. “That is a guy I know I can trust, and he isn’t sugarcoating anything. He is going to allow his players to play with freedom and also instill confidence whenever they need it. We are going to push the ball in transition and play to the best of our abilities with the utmost confidence. I will most likely be a point guard and shooting guard, but I am willing to play whatever role is necessary for us to win games.
“Being in a position to play on one of many largest levels in faculty basketball is certainly noteworthy. Also, having the ability to have my dad and mom and different kinfolk come out to video games and help me sounds wonderful, particularly after they not often had been ready to take action by my profession.”
Starling picked Syracuse over interest from a host of schools, including Alabama, Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA, Tennessee, Auburn, Indiana and Oregon.
He entered the NCAA transfer portal the first day it officially opened on Monday and wasted no time in electing to commit less than 24 hours later to the Orange, whose campus is located just 14 miles away from his hometown of Baldwinsville, New York.
“This was a fairly fast choice as a result of I knew what Cuse has to supply and I belief in that,” Starling said. “I do know I’m going to be in the suitable palms that can assist me develop as an individual on and off the court docket. I didn’t know all alongside that I wished to go house; I used to be going to entertain the coaches that had been calling and getting in touch. However, as a substitute of creating it extra nerve-racking for my dad and mom and myself, we had an extended dialog and realized that Cuse was the spot for me.”
Starling was a McDonald’s All American and the No. 19 recruit in the Class of 2022, emerging as a five-star prospect at La Lumiere School in Indiana and on the Nike EYBL circuit with Albany City Rocks. He averaged 11.2 points and 2.8 rebounds as a freshman at Notre Dame, playing his entire season as an 18-year old and being younger than several five-star recruits in the 2023 high school class.
A potential first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Starling said he will not be entering the 2023 draft.
“I can’t be testing the waters,” he said. “I really feel it could be greatest to come back again to the school stage after having a yr of development and expertise, and are available again to get higher and enhance.”
Starling said even though he didn’t have the year he hoped at Notre Dame, due to head coach Mike Brey’s decision in January to step down, he still learned a lot.
“Coach Brey was an excellent coach and particular person,” he said. “Even whereas going by powerful instances, he tried his greatest to ensure he was there for all the gamers and continued to relay the message: ‘We solely have one another.’ I want him the perfect in no matter he decides to do.”