The Georgetown University men’s basketball team is set for its most competitive season in a long time, buoyed by a strong transfer class and a tough nonconference schedule.
Coming off a bounce-back year, Head Coach Ed Cooley leaned toward experience in his recruiting process, bringing in six transfer students and no first-years.
This transfer class consists of junior guard KJ Lewis, graduate guard Langston Love, senior center Vince Iwuchukwu, graduate guard Jeremiah Williams, junior guard DeShawn Harris-Smith and sophomore forward Isaiah Abraham.
Lewis looks to be one of the most impactful portal additions nationwide. Lewis played all 37 games for the University of Arizona last season, starting in six and spending the rest as sixth man. After a big sophomore year leap and an impressive preseason where he received all-Big East second team honors, Lewis will compete for the starting shooting guard and small forward spots this season.
Love, another transfer looking to command minutes this season, is entering his final year of eligibility after spending four years at Baylor University. Love should prove to be a viable floor spacer and creator in Cooley’s offense, sharing some ball-handling duties with junior guard Malik Mack and creating room for driving lanes with his 3-point gravity.
Iwuchukwu, a native of Nigeria, transferred from St. John’s University to play out his senior year for the Hoyas. Coming out of high school, the seven-footer earned a consensus top 15 national recruit ranking for the Class of 2022 by all major scouting services. Last season, Iwuchukwu appeared in 34 total games for the Red Storm, starting once, where he averaged 2.7 points per game, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 7.2 minutes per game.
Iwuchukwu will have to play a notable role in the rotation this season as he and sophomore center Julius Halaifonua will look to replace superstar center Thomas Sorber following his drafting to the NBA.
The rest of the transfers — Williams, Harris-Smith and Abraham — will look to find consistency and value within the rotation through hard-nosed defense and the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter.
Mack, named to the preseason all-Big East third team, is the most prominent returner for the Hoyas. With one year in the Big East under his belt, the left-handed guard is poised to be the leader and primary decision-maker for this squad. Last season, Mack averaged 12.9 points per game, 4.3 assists and shot 35.5% from three.
Although this season’s roster construction should ease Mack’s defensive workload, he will be forced to shoulder a majority of the playmaking and scoring responsibilities. Many of the surrounding pieces on this year’s roster have a specialized skillset, either on defense or as an off-ball offensive player, so Mack will have to make quick decisions on the ball to open the floor for his teammates.
Cooley said he expected a significant improvement from Mack, who is now alone as the team’s primary ball handler after the departure of guard Jayden Epps, but didn’t want to limit Mack to being a point guard alone.
“I expect Malik to make a big jump — emotionally, physically, mentally,” Cooley told The Hoya in a profile interview. “He’s got to be a catalyst. He’s got to be what I call a definite.”
Lastly, returning sophomore forward Caleb Williams is poised for increased playing time at the four position this year following a strong 2024-25 season. In his first year at Georgetown, Williams averaged 4.3 points per game and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Similar to Halaifonua, an improved outside shooting display from Williams could completely change the offensive upside of this group.
Cooley said he likes the positionless and multi-talented team he has created.
“I like positionless basketball,” Cooley said at Big East Media Day. “I think we have a positionless team and am looking forward to seeing how our guys adjust to it.”
Because of this positionless roster, skilled forwards such as Williams could see extended runs at the power forward and center positions in small-ball lineups when Cooley wants to force turnovers.
Last year, Georgetown had one of the easiest nonconference schedules in the country. Not anymore.
After a season opener hosting Morgan State University in Capital One Arena Nov. 3, the Hoyas will renew their rivalry visiting the University of Maryland Nov. 7. Over Thanksgiving weekend, Georgetown will play in the ESPN Events Invitational against Dayton University, Brigham Young University and the University of Miami.
Another major game for the Hoyas will come Dec. 7 against the University of North Carolina, Georgetown’s penultimate nonconference game.
Georgetown will end its nonconference slate by hosting Saint Peter’s University Dec. 13 in Capital One before traveling to Marquette University Dec. 17 to open Big East play.
Cooley said he scheduled tougher opponents in the nonconference portion to prepare the Hoyas for the hostile environments of the Big East and to make a more persuasive resume for a potential tournament bid.
In the Big East, Cooley told The Hoya, “You’re going to be playing in front of sold-out crowds every day.”
Cooley said the Maryland game, specifically, the first in a four-game series, was part of the effort to return Georgetown to local prominence while making a tough schedule.
“I think it’s a great NET game when you look at the analytics of teams selected,” Cooley said, referring to the computer rankings the NCAA uses in selecting March Madness teams. “You need what I would call a DMV game, which brings the community together. I think it brings a lot of excitement, renewing that energy.”
“Kids can’t even call it a rivalry because there’s no rivalry to be had. Can we start something new?” Cooley added.
The Hoyas’ off-season preparation has shown promise, as they beat George Washington University (GWU) 73-64 in their first pre-season scrimmage. Williams led the Hoyas in scoring with 20 points, shooting a scorching hot 57% from three. Mack added 16 points and 4 assists, and Lewis recorded a game-high 6 steals.
Cooley said he believes Georgetown has the ability to perform well defensively.
“I think defensively we have an opportunity to be elite,” Cooley said at Big East Media Day. “Our players know that if they don’t defend, they might as well go home.”
“It’s not a democracy on defense,” he added.
Georgetown certainly embraced this defensive mentality against GWU, racking up 13 steals and holding the Revolutionaries to a mere 41% from the field and 28% from behind the arc. Hoya players were aggressive and active in passing lanes and also made an effort to close out shooters.
Cooley must find a way to bring the best out of the high-risk, high-reward swings they took in the transfer portal. Coming off a year with a winning record (18-16, 8-12 Big East) and top-end talent, the Hoyas are looking to build on their success and create a sustained culture of winning.
Cooley said the team must keep rebuilding to reach his goal of national contention.
“We need to continue to grow and develop as a program because you can’t talk about the Big East without talking about Georgetown,” Cooley said. “It’s a historical program, historical brand, and we need to do a better job making sure that we’re here competing for a Big East championship.”
Nate Seidenstein contributed reporting.
Correction, Nov. 5: A previous version of this article misspelled the writer’s name.
