LINKS: Recruiting, Mosely Interview, Schedule News?

There’s not much news coming out for the Georgetown Hoyas right now, but hey is there ever?

The world is waiting on further news from Patrick Ewing regarding his recovery from COVID-19 but with the announcement of a couple offers one might optimistically infer that he’s making phone calls. We all hope he’s doing much better now that he’s apparently home.

Some scheduling news appears to be leaking out from other teams, but no one seems to know if and how next season will be played. Georgetown wore the “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during warm-ups when hosting Kansas in 2014.

Here are the links:

Notre Dame adds Kentucky in men’s hoops for 2020-21 | NDINSIDER

Kentucky will be the main non-league addition to Notre Dame’s 2020-21 schedule. That was supposed to be Georgetown, but the Hoyas backed off renewing the series between the former Big East colleagues. Notre Dame also will play Purdue, as it has every other year, in the annual Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis in December.

Early KU basketball lookahead: Jayhawks vs. Georgetown Hoyas | 247SPORTS

“This is going to be a fun game to be able to go up against the legendary Patrick Ewing, the history and tradition with Georgetown with Allen Iverson playing there and the legendary coach John Thompson. ... “They’re physical. They return some guys. They love to score the ball. They’ve got good guards and they like to play the flex offense and a lot of down screens. So we’ve got to be locked in to play a good Big East team that’s well-coached and will be well-prepared.”

Hoop Thoughts: Inside John Thompson’s decision to let players wear ‘I Can’t Breathe’ shirts | SI (2014)

“This wasn’t something that was done because it’s trendy,” Thompson told me by phone on Sunday. “This is something they brought to me. We had long discussions about it. The reasons they wanted to do it were all over the place, but there was unity in the fact that they wanted to do it.” ... “They were frustrated with the fact that there was no indictment, no trial, no accountability for people who look just like them being killed.”

Why would a coach initiate such a dialogue when his players were getting ready for a big tournament? It’s his job to teach them how to play basketball, right? Thompson would not be his father’s son if he felt that way. “It sounds like a cliché, but the job is about more than basketball,” he said. “We are an educational institution. People forget that these are 17-to-20-year-olds who are in college that are learning. Coaches are teachers. This is our job.” ...

During the press conference, a reporter asked the coach a question that began with a reference to his father. At that point, a booming voice came from the back of the room. “This is a f------ school, man,” the elder Thompson said. “That’s your responsibility, to deal with things like that. This is not a goddamn pro team.”

BYU Basketball Makes Top 5 for East Tennessee State Transfer Daivien Williamson | VANQUISHTHEFOE

The 6-foot-2 point guard has been productive in each of his two seasons at ETSU and is coming off a sophomore season averaging 10.4 ppg and 2.6 apg on 48.4% shooting. Williamson is an efficient shooter from all levels of the floor, shooting over 80% from the foul line and 37% from three. ETSU finished the season 30-4 and ranked #56 in KenPom.

Wake Forest should be considered the favorite. They hired Williamson’s coach at ETSU, Steve Forbes, and Williamson is a native of of Winston-Salem, North Carolina — home of Wake Forest’s campus.

Georgetown transfer Mac McClung is still BYU’s number one target and Williamson’s recruitment doesn’t impact that. Barring a waiver, both players will have to redshirt next season and then have two years of eligibility remaining. Since both players would play point guard at BYU and have the same eligibility remaining, BYU would likely take only one of the players, with McClung the first option. Look for McClung to make his decision later this week.

NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Forward James Graham III a rising 2021 prospect | BUSTINGBRACKETS

James Graham III improved and impressed as a junior for the Nicolet Knights and NCAA Basketball programs have taken notice. The 6-foot-9, 205 pound, power forward holds offers from Maryland, Rutgers, Florida State, DePaul, Wake Forest, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. As a sophomore during the 2018-19 season, he averaged six points, three rebounds, and shot 66 percent from the field.

Moussa Cisse Recruitment Breakdown | SIDELINESPORTS.REPORT

Georgetown: The name Patrick Ewing helps the Hoyas a lot here and is probably the only reason they made the top 6 for Cisse. A big man with a clear NBA future would benefit a lot from one year under a former big as good as Ewing was. Unfortunately the Hoyas lost just about their entire team and that won’t be a situation Cisse will be advised to walk into.

With Moussa Cisse set to announce his commitment sometime next week, LSU is the clear favorite.

LSU trending for five-star center Moussa Cisse | 247SPORTS

The 247Sports Crystal Ball has seen LSU surge with seven predictions for Cisse to end up in Baton Rouge with national recruiting experts like Brian Snow, Josh Gershon and Evan Daniels all making predictions for LSU. Geaux247’s Sonny Shipp and Billy Embody also made picks for LSU. LSU now owns a 68 percent lead for Cisse in the Crystal Ball. The industry-generated 247Sports Composite ranks Cisse as the No. 9 overall prospect in the country, No. 3 power forward in the nation and No. 1 overall prospect in Tennessee. 247Sports ranks Cisse as the No. 11 overall prospect and No. 2 center in the country. “Known for his rim protection and elite athleticism, Cisse is the top shot blocking prospect in the class,” Daniels wrote. “Cisse has tremendous feel as a shot blocker, uses both hands to disrupt things defensively, reacts quickly to plays and can switch out on to defenders on the perimeter.”

Rutgers offers combo guard Malachi Smith | 247SPORTS

Rutgers is the latest school to offer class of 2021 combo guard Malachi Smith of St. Raymond high school for boys (Bronx, N.Y.). Smith is a three-star guard and currently ranked No.3 in New York, per 247Sports ...

“He says he likes my game, we have regular conversations,” Smith told Scarlet Nation. “He seems like a really good basketball guy who knows a lot of information about ball. I feel like he can really boost my game.” ...

What stood out most about Smith’s play was his willingness to guard the other team’s best player and his high energy on both sides of the ball... “I’m a leader, I can run the team and do whatever you need,” Smith said. “I dive for balls, work hard, and bring energy. If you need me to score, I’ll score, if you need me to facilitate I’ll do that, if I need to defend their best player I can do that as well. I’m just an all around player.”

Clear-cut Syracuse basketball rival is anything but definitive these days | INSIDETHELOUDHOUSE

It pains me to say this, but Syracuse doesn’t have a natural rival at present. Georgetown is probably the closest thing to one, because of the two programs’ history together, and the fact that the Orange and the Hoyas continue to square off even after the ‘Cuse bolted for the ACC. Connecticut is another possibility, because of the geographic closeness. The Huskies have also rejoined the Big East, so that gives a bit more juice to UConn versus Syracuse.

NIKE, Inc. Announces the Retirement of John Thompson, Jr. From its Board of Directors | BUSINESSWIRE

“We’d like to thank Coach Thompson for his countless contributions to Nike and to the world of sport. His leadership transcends all arenas, and we will forever be grateful for his insights, experience and example,” said Mark Parker, Executive Chairman of Nike, Inc. “We look forward to continuing to benefit from his guidance as he transitions into the role of Director Emeritus.”

“I’ve known John Thompson for almost 50 years and Nike would not be the company it is today without his many contributions,” said Phil Knight, Nike, Inc. Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus. “He’s long been recognized as a pioneer, a leader and a hall of famer in the game of basketball. For Nike, it’s his wisdom that sets him apart and I know as Director Emeritus he’ll continue to provide the board with the unique insights that have defined him.”

Patrick Ewing Didn’t Need A Ring To Prove His Greatness: The Beginning | SI

Everything Patrick Ewing touched was better because of him, and his lack of a championship shouldn’t overshadow his impact. At Georgetown, he was a symbol of hope and pride. He breathed life into the Big East tournament and helped catapult college basketball from regional communities to a national stage. As a university, Georgetown experienced a shift in identity on the back of the success of Patrick Ewing’s Hoyas. Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning both wore number 33 in honor of their childhood idol. His impact on college basketball, the center position, and of course, the Knicks, still runs deep.

In New York, Patrick Ewing was the Knicks — hard-nosed, mean, tough basketball. That’s what it meant to be a New Yorker, and he set the tone from his rookie year. There was nothing that could make Patrick Ewing back down. Regardless of the pain and injuries, if Ewing could stand up, he was on the floor, even if he had to limp down it. He came to the city and surpassed every expectation. He endured scrutiny, blame, attacks from fans and the media, an inept front office, and went toe-to-toe with the Chicago dynasty while carrying a mediocre supporting cast year after year. Basketball returned to New York because of Ewing, and his teams were not playoff-caliber without him.