When Georgetown landed the services of troubled UCLA center Josh Smith in a transfer in January, it was widely understood as a long-term investment. Smith wasn’t anywhere near ideal playing shape — most estimates put him at close to 400 pounds — and NCAA regulations were expected to keep him off the court for at least a year.

Fast forward to November, and it looks like Head Coach John Thompson III’s investment may pay off sooner than expected.

In a surprise move last month, the NCAA cleared Smith to play for a full two years, effective immediately.

“I found out before practice and all I could say is that I was blessed,” Smith said. “Knowing that I can play was just a weight off my shoulders.”

Smith is down to 350 pounds — still not his target playing weight, but definitely acceptable for a 6-foot-10 center who relies on his bulk to score.

“He’s going to demand attention,” Thompson said.

The NCAA’s decision dramatically changes the outlook for this year’s Hoyas, particularly on offense. Georgetown was expected to rely on its explosive backcourt for buckets; forwards Nate Lubick and Mikael Hopkins and center Moses Ayegba have never proven themselves to be reliable scoring options. The addition of a potentially dominant low-block scorer gives the Hoyas one of the most fearsome frontcourts in the Big East.

Just how good is Smith? It’s hard to say, as he never lived up to his potential through two and a half years in a dysfunctional UCLA system. He was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, once projected to be the next great Bruin center. He’s heavier now — his listed playing weight upon arrival in Westwood was 310 pounds — but his scoring touch around the basket hasn’t gone anywhere.

“He gets it down there, and he knows what to do with it,” Thompson said of his new center. “He’s a very good basketball player. … Quite honestly, I didn’t realize until he got here last year how much of a feel for the game he has.”

Reports from the summer indicate that Thompson isn’t just bluffing. The Hoya’s Evan Hollander reported that Smith was dominant in Kenner League play, scoring nearly at will and posing a huge matchup problem for opponents. He’ll obviously have a tougher time in the Big East than in a summer league, but few of Georgetown’s opponents have the size to match up with him down low.

Most accounts indicate Smith is also a near-perfect fit for Thompson’s offense, though it’s been a steep learning curve for him.

“When I first got here I was really confused, to be honest,” Smith said of the Princeton scheme. “The thing with Coach Thompson’s offense — with the bigs especially — you have to be able to handle the ball and make passes, so that’s something we’ve been working on since I’ve been here.”

If Smith can stay on the court — a legitimate concern, as conditioning issues have been his biggest limitation in the past — he could vie with senior guard Markel Starks and sophomore guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera for the Hoyas’ leading scorer title.

“I’ve been here for a year, so even though I haven’t been on the court, I’ve been at every practice with them, every conditioning, lift workout, playing — I’ve been doing all of it,” Smith said. “I’ve noticed a really, really big change with being able to go [for] a little bit of practice to being able to go [for] a full practice and feeling better running up and down the floor.”

What’s still uncertain is how Smith will fit into the Hoyas’ rotation. Lubick and Hopkins were the presumptive frontcourt starters entering the year, with Ayegba playing big minutes off the bench when either got into foul trouble. It’s unclear whether Thompson will elect to start Smith immediately — pushing Hopkins to the bench — or wait until the transfer sees some game experience with his new team. If his conditioning is up to par, Smith will likely earn a starting spot at some point this season.

While Hopkins’ minutes will likely decline with Smith’s presence, his court time may be much more productive. A lean 6-foot-9 forward, Hopkins played out of position at center for most of last season. The addition of Smith gives Thompson two true centers (the other being Ayegba), which will allow Hopkins to spend less time struggling with larger players down low and more time operating out of his preferred spot in the high post.

With all the potential benefits of his arrival, it’s easy to forget that Smith has never been more than just that: A “potential” guy. He’s never averaged more than 11 points per game, and a lack of weight control prevented him from starring at UCLA. There’s no guarantee that won’t happen here.

“It’s a work in progress,” Thompson said of Smith’s physical development. “He has to stay diligent about it, and he has to care about it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

But Thompson has a proven track record of turning physically gifted centers into true stars — Roy Hibbert and Henry Sims come to mind — and Hoya fans can be sure he’ll take the same approach with his newest project. In fact, Smith has already gotten a couple pointers from notable former Hoya big men.

“I’ve been able to talk to Roy a few times … Roy’s been showing me pointers. I’ve worked out a few times with him. Dikemebe [Mutombo] was able to talk with us, I met him. I’ve talked to Patrick [Ewing] a few times, so it’s a pretty elite class, and I’m just ready to go out there and play,” Smith said.

If he’s successful, Georgetown has a chance to once again remind the world why it’s called “Big Man U.”