LINKS: Transfers, Recruiting and Aminu

Anyone following the guardian of Aminu Mohammed on Twitter might infer that Aminu is not likely returning, based on some expressed displeasure with the recent additions to the program. The Hoya faithful would love nothing more than to have Aminu come back to school, help redeem the program with success, and ride off to a decades-long NBA career. It seems like Pat wants that, too.

Learning from past faux pas with speaking too soon regarding Mac McClung and Marcus Derrickson’s decisions, Patrick Ewing has refrained from directly commenting on Aminu’s potential to return to the Georgetown Hoyas. Ewing’s instead relayed his advice to Aminu, and frankly, it’s perfect—”go test the waters and see where you’d be drafted, and of that avenue doesn’t work out for you, then I would love to have you back.”

After Ewing’s interview, Aminu’s guardian messaged Adam Zagoria saying, “We will go through the draft process and let that play out” and “Any other decision counter to that will be made at the appropriate time.” The guardian tweeted: “I have told certain individuals before and will state it personally myself so it will be clear Aminu is not testing the waters regardless of what might be said by anyone else he has declared for the upcoming draft and is committed 1000% to that process!!” and that “Any decision to return to school at whatever school that might be will be made at a timetable that we determine!!!” That’s 100% fair.

Let’s be clear, Georgetown fans want Aminu back for the sake of the program and for his own development. Aminu is a special talent with an exceptional motor and incredible discipline. The goal for a 5-strar-rated recruit should be to get drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. As stated before, getting into the first round, let alone being a top-15 pick, could be a difference of well over $3 million over two years when compared to a non-guaranteed second round pick and/or UDFA signing as a two-way G-League player. Improving perimeter shooting and consistency is something we’ve seen players do with coaches Crouch and Ewing. Moreover, we are well aware of Aminu’s classroom success and his family’s academic goals—staying another year could significantly expedite earning a degree, rather than coming back to school several additional summers. Returning to Georgetown for another year makes a whole lot of sense for everyone involved.

Such an exercise in debating semantics of “testing the waters” seems inefficient. I think we’re all saying the same thing—we want Aminu to succeed enormously. Anyone who was paying attention to Georgetown last season understands that Aminu cannot give anything less the 100% and is indeed fully committed to the pre-draft process right now.

But Aminu needs this pre-draft experience and feedback. There are only 70 spots at the NBA Draft Combine and 30 picks in the first round. It’s not automatic that Aminu goes pro, and we all think that’s why he hasn’t retained an agent yet. It has to be the right situation regarding, e.g., team, draft position, and developing a plan for professional success.

In the past, Aminu’s guardian has recommend that other top college players, rather than enter the transfer portal, might choose to join the “right” NBA/G-League teams known for developing young talent (e.g., Spurs, Raptors, Heat), so maybe Mohammed takes that route if the correct dance partner arises in these meetings. Hoyas fans will be thrilled to see Aminu hook up with the right team and impact the NBA the way we know he can whenever the timing turns out to be right—now or in the future.

But, for now, this humble lunch blog contributor, and many other fans, want to see another year of Aminu in the BIG EAST and would hope that Ewing’s present endeavors to add top-level talent and coaching to this program do not deter Aminu Mohammed from returning to Georgetown one iota.

For better or worse, this is still the program of John Thompson and Patrick Ewing, and we’re all making the best of it as Ewing tries to move onward and upward.

Here are some links:

Niagara transfer Marcus Hammond has ‘awesome’ Georgetown visit; Rutgers, Notre Dame, K-State up next | Zagsblog

“The trip went totally awesome,” said Cardozo coach Ron Naclerio, Hammond’s high school coach who spoke with Georgetown assistants by phone. “He and his family loved it.”

Georgetown has already added LSU transfer Brandon Murray, a shooting guard, and believes Hammond, a point guard who averaged 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists as a senior, would complement Murray in the backcourt.

“They would form one of the best backcourts in the country,” Naclerio said of Georgetown’s message.

Georgetown Announces the Addition of Denver Anglin and D’Ante Bass to 2022-23 Roster | GUHoyas

Georgetown men’s basketball has announced the addition of Denver Anglin and D’Ante Bass to the program for the 2022-23 season. Anglin and Bass both signed National Letters of Intent earlier this year.

“I’m happy to bring both Denver Anglin and D’Ante Bass in as part of our incoming class. They are both vital pieces of the puzzle as we work to build this program back. I’m excited for these two to arrive on campus and hit the ground running. They will both be important factors in our success.” - Head Coach Patrick Ewing on the addition of Denver Anglin and D’Ante Bass

The current 2022-23 roster is expected to look like this:

• 5 Timothy Ighoefe 7-0 250 C Sr. Lagos, Nigeria / NBA Academy Africa
• 31 Wayne Bristol Jr. 6-6 205 G Sr. Upper Marlboro, Md. / St. Thomas More School (Conn.) Howard
• 32 Malcolm Wilson 7-0 205 C Sr. Columbia, S.C. / Ridge View
• 2 Dante Harris 6-0 170 G Jr. Washington, D.C. / Lakeway Christian Academy [Tenn.]
• 23 Collin Holloway 6-6 220 F Jr. Baton Rouge, La. / Port Allen
• 24 Kobe Clark 6-6 180 F Jr. St. Louis, Mo. / Vashon
• 0 Aminu Mohammed 6-5 210 G So. Temple Hills, Md. / Greenwood ???
• 3 Tyler Beard 6-2 180 G So. Chicago, Ill. / Hargrave Academy [Va.]
• 4 Jalin Billingsley 6-8 225 F So. Cleveland, Ohio / Lutheran East
• 12 Jordan Riley 6-4 195 G So. Brentwood, N.Y. / Brentwood
• 21 Ryan Mutombo 7-2 252 C So. Atlanta, Ga. / The Lovett School
• Brandon Murray 6-5 214 F Baltimore, Md. / IMG Academy
• Incoming freshman Denver Anglin 6-2 G from New Jersey
• Incoming freshman D’Ante Bass 6-7 F from Savannah, Georgia
• 10 Chuma Azinge 6-3 183 G Sr. San Marino, Calif. (walk-on)
• 55 Victor Muresan 6-10 190 F Jr. Potomac, Md. (walk-on)

Sun Belt Player of the Year Norchad Omier appears to be down to four schools | College Basketball Transfers

Norchad Omier, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, who is one of the most coveted players in the portal - appears to be down to four schools. He announced on Thursday that he will choose between Miami, Florida State, Texas Tech and Georgetown.

Omier is one of the most intriguing prospects in the portal, as an athletic 6’7 forward, who averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game for Arkansas State last year. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

As always, check out LCPolo18’s recruiting tracker bit.ly/HoyaRecruiting