NCAA Basketball: Will Syracuse transfer Joe Girard end up at Clemson or LSU?

When it comes to the NCAA Basketball transfer portal, there have been a ton of commitments among power conference starters as of late. There are still a few more out there, including Joe Girard of Syracuse.

Girard, a 6’1 combo guard out of Glen Falls, New York, started 123 of 125 games in his four-year career with the Orange. He was an instant impact freshman out the gate, averaging 12.4 ppg and 3.5 apg. After a down sophomore campaign, Girard bounced back as a junior, scoring 13.8 ppg and a career-high 4.2 apg.

This past season, the senior playmaker played more off the ball than ever, thanks to the arrival of freshman guard Judah Mintz. Girard ended up averaging a team-leading 16.4 ppg, on 40% shooting from the field and 38% from three-point range on over seven attempts a game.

Among several big performances from the guard including a 31-point game against Richmond, along with 28 points and seven assists versus Georgia Tech. After head coach Jim Boeheim “retired”, Girard entered the transfer portal, where he had plenty of interest among power conference programs.

We’ve reached a closing point in the recruitment for the senior guard, as he will be a Tiger for the 2023-24 season. The question is will be he a Clemson Tiger or an LSU Tiger? Both have some selling points for Girard to consider but does one stand out more than the other? Here’s a closer look at how he’d fit with each of the two finalists.