By Pete Tobey | The Post-Star, Glens Falls, N.Y.
Queensbury, N.Y. — Relaxation time is almost over for Joseph Girard III.
After taking a month off from basketball, Girard plans to be back at it this week, getting his body in basketball shape for his next step.
And where that next step will be depends on the offers the former Syracuse University standout receives this month.
“Usually it starts right now till the end of July — that’s a priority time for priority players that they want to sign, so I should know in the next coming weeks… it could be tomorrow or it could be in two, three weeks,” Girard said after a day of golf last week at the Glens Falls Country Club. “There’s a few teams calling, which is a good sign, and it’s going to be step up, which is nice.”
Girard, 24, enjoyed an outstanding first season of professional basketball playing overseas in the Lithuanian Basketball League. The 6-foot-1 combo guard led the league in scoring with 21 points per game for Nevizis-Optibet, netting a season-high 33 points twice. He also led the league in 3-pointers with 125 on 41.5% shooting. The team’s season ended in late May with an 11-25 record.
Girard said he was not returning to the team, as he had only signed a one-year contract.
“It was a great learning experience. Going overseas is pretty hard especially as a rookie, but it was a challenge I wanted to do just to prove to myself I could do it,” he said. “I want to keep playing this game as long as I can, and that was the best opportunity, I felt, last year and it worked out for me. I had a pretty good season and set myself up pretty good for next year.”
Girard’s strong first season is a reason that he’s not seriously considering a return to the NBA Summer League, where he played last year. He doesn’t want a possible lack of playing time to negatively impact where he takes his next steps in pro ball.
“There were a few teams that have called my agent saying that they would give me a spot. I just wanted to figure out if it was a spot that I would play,” Girard said. “I had a pretty good year overseas; I don’t want to go to Summer League and have it not work out or not play, and have it hurt my chances for next year, wherever that may be.”
So he’s hoping to land in the next level in European basketball, which is organized into three leagues: the top-level EuroLeague, the second-tier EuroCup, and the FIBA Champions League. Girard said his agent is getting calls from teams in the latter two leagues.
“I’ve got interest from a few teams in a few different countries — there’s nothing serious at this moment, but I have a lot of options and hopefully I’m going to move up a level in European competition,” Girard said, adding that teams from Italy, Spain, Greece and the Adriatic league have been showing interest in his services. “I’m going to keep trying to rise up the ladder over there and see how far I can take it.”
After four years at Syracuse and another at Clemson, Girard’s first year of pro ball was an excellent introduction to the game.
“It’s a lot faster, you have a pace that comes with the shot being lower — it’s a 24-second shot clock,” Girard said. “It’s a professional league with grown men, so you’re gonna get held, grabbed, fouled, and they’re not going to call it all the time, so it’s a little bit different.
“They like foreigners, but you know a Lithuanian player might go a little harder on a foreigner because it’s their country,” he added with a smile. “Things like that you learn are a little bit different culture-wise and basketball-wise.”
Girard said he got along with his teammates, who were mostly Lithuanian, with a couple of American players for short times, and another from France.
“My teammates were awesome,” Girard said. “We would have a morning shooting or lift, then we’d have a later practice in the evening. After the morning shift or lift, I would go with my Lithuanian teammates to lunch — they always went to this lunch spot and we could be there for an hour every single day. I love those guys, they still text in the group chat to stay in touch.”
Girard said Lithuania is a little tougher as far as location and activities.
“But one thing everybody’s told me, when you go there — especially as a rookie — it’s a little more respected because it shows that you’re focused on the basketball, you’re not just focused on what other things there are to do in Europe,” he added.
The biggest thing Girard learned about his game was being able to adapt.
“It’s a different game, it’s a lot faster,” Girard said. “It’s playing against grown men, who are more physical, the game’s more physical over there. It just shows that I can adapt to different game styles and be able to play well.
“The faster pace suited me, I could go up and down, score a lot,” he added. “I think I got a lot better in a lot of areas, being able to play a different style, more physical. It was good for me.”
Girard was able to make it home a couple of times during the season, including his jersey retirement ceremony at Glens Falls High School in February. Returning home from the summer was a welcome break.
“I took about a month off (from basketball) to get my mind and my body rest because a 10-month season is tough, especially so far away,” he said. “This month off was good for me.”
Girard said his routine has included weightlifting and sprints to stay in shape, and golf in the afternoons.
He plans to get back to basketball this week, working out with Siena College coach Gerry McNamara and Hadley native Ryan Beaury, the Saints’ Director of Basketball Operations. Girard worked with both at Syracuse.
“They know what they’re doing,” he said. “I’m comfortable working out with those guys — they’ve helped me get to this point, so why not?”
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