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Judah Mintz manifests these moments on his apartment couch. Game-winners in front of adoring fans. Fastening a New Era Draft cap atop his braids.

Egged on by Quadir Copeland, the pair will flick on an NBA game or go through old highlight tapes and compare. Other times, they lay back and dream. Seemingly impossible scenarios occasionally creep into Mintz’s mind. But he entertains them.

“We have those conversations about things you don’t think are going to happen,” Copeland said. “Well, maybe they actually do.”

And Copeland’s right. Because Mintz’s latest rendition of reality might inch him closer to his lifelong wish. The Syracuse point guard poured in a game-high 29 points on 58.8% shooting to lead SU (19-10, 10-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) to an 84-71 victory over Virginia Tech (15-13, 7-10 ACC) and a third consecutive win. The Hokies’ defense had no answer to Mintz’s deep offensive arsenal of mid-range jumpers and acrobatic finishes. It’s the 14th time this year where he’s dropped 20-plus points.

Flashback to the summer when Mintz was within reach of the professional level. High praise in select Combine drills and a consensus second-round mock draft prediction. Nine points and seven assists in generous minutes during his first scrimmage. Thirteen points and a dazzling dunk in the second before individual workouts with NBA teams began.

Then, overarching feedback from scouts advising Mintz to take one more year and work on his outside shot. So on deadline day — tasked with a decision to stay or leave the draft pool — Mintz gave college basketball another try. He’d tolerate nothing short of perfection, though.

“I just wanted to show that I’m one of the best point guards in the country. I wanted to be one of the best players,” Mintz said. “Whether somebody sees me as that or not, that’s what I’m trying to prove everytime I step on the court.”

Though there were growing pains, the evolution is indisputable. Mintz has morphed into a prolific scorer and adopted a floor-general feel to his play style. There was a 33-point performance against LSU on Nov. 28, 2023, and five made 3s for 28 versus Cornell two games later. Can’t forget 25 points to help upset then-No. 7 ranked North Carolina mere weeks ago, either.

He notched 13 assists in a 72-69 win over Miami in January and tallied 12 combined in outings at Boston College and Wake Forest. Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry sings countless praises of Mintz’s improved reads and versatility. Evidently, the game has slowed down for him and Tuesday proved just that.

Knocking a lazy bounce pass away from Lynn Kidd, Mintz sped down court with only Robbie Beran in front. In a footrace to the basket, Beran’s ensuing contest was well-timed but Mintz absorbed the contact and banked in a layup to draw an and-one opportunity.

On another play, ahead of the pack again on another transition attempt, he slowed down upon entering the paint to shake Mylyjael Poteat. VT’s backup forward backpedaled in anticipation which freed Mintz up for a calculated euro-step and easy floater.

“That dude’s a star,” Copeland said of Mintz. “I never complain when the ball’s in his hands at the end of the game and I always feel like it’s going to be a bucket.”

But he’s undergone hardship, too. Recurring questions arise on whether some of Mintz’s late-game decisions were selfish, categorized by fans as hero-ball. Heaps of contested misfires down the stretch in a winnable matchup against Clemson on Feb. 10 drew criticism. Even subpar free throw shooting was magnified and nitpicked.

So when Autry greeted postgame media and fielded questions on Mintz’s 29-point display, he concentrated on his star player’s character.

“I respect the hell out of Judah Mintz. He’s a guy. He’s a guy,” Autry said. “He doesn’t run from it, he doesn’t shy from it. Good or bad, he comes back every game. Every game.”

Ask Mintz about those comments and humility takes over. No direct answer to the question is given, but instead, a quick peek into his relationship with Autry — how the coach has made him better. Deflect the applause to put others in a better light.

Dig deeper and remind Mintz of how he outplayed Pedulla in post-up scenarios or isolation situations. Efforts of getting a rise out of him — a glimpse at the “guy” Autry speaks of — fall short. He’ll tell you he doesn’t talk trash. Those are signs of maturity.

Ask Copeland the same question and the truth spills out: “No. Not at all. You’ve seen it. You tell me. We kept calling screens and getting that switch for a reason. I feel like that was a mismatch and we just found it.”

It was fitting then, with 5:10 remaining and a dwindling Syracuse lead reading 73-65, that Mintz lost Pedulla: a left-to-right crossover that rooted the VT guard, stranding him near the left-wing arc. Then, there was enough space for Mintz to go airborne and convert on a hanging scoop finish.

From the outside looking in, it’s been an exciting — potentially even straining — campaign for Mintz. It’s Autry’s inaugural season at the helm but his point guard has shouldered the bulk of lofty expectations. And exceeded.

He returned in orange and white threads as a sophomore to compile an adequate skill set for the next stage. So could this season — punctuated by a dominant final home game against Virginia Tech — be enough?

Maybe the kid who loves dreaming is scheduled to wake up soon.

Published on February 28, 2024 at 10:02 am

Contact Tyler: trschiff@syr.edu | @theTylerSchiff