It’s been a while since a national basketball writer stuck their neck out for Georgetown. A long while. For a fan base starved of relevance and battered by years of futility, any mention in the national conversation usually comes with a caveat, a punchline, or a lament for what once was. The Hoyas are less […]
It’s been a while since a national basketball writer stuck their neck out for Georgetown. A long while. For a fan base starved of relevance and battered by years of futility, any mention in the national conversation usually comes with a caveat, a punchline, or a lament for what once was. The Hoyas are less than a month away from an exhibition game at George Washington (tickets). Fans have seen the official roster, and the full schedule is out (sans times/TV). So when Brian Rauf plants a flag on the Hilltop, it’s worth paying attention.
Rauf, a respected voice now with the new site “Basket Under Review”—an affiliate of the mysterious and well-connected hoops newsbreaker Trilly Donovan—recently published a piece titled, “From Rebuild To Relevance: It’s Time To Believe In Georgetown Again.”
It’s a bold headline, the kind that invites skepticism. But Rauf’s argument isn’t built on blind faith; it’s a careful, reasoned case for why Ed Cooley’s Year 3 could be the turning point. It’s nice to have a believer.
Last year does not need to be rehashed, but it’s fair to say that—even with the injuries—the roster needs to be better. This year, it might be.
Here’s a look at the key points and quotes that make his case compelling, and why this cautious optimism might actually be warranted:
“There is a natural growth window for lead guards when they enter a second season in a system… let’s face it, shooting 38.1 percent from the field again won’t get it done.”
Rauf immediately hones in on the most important variable for Georgetown’s success: Malik Mack’s efficiency. He correctly frames it not as a question of talent, but of refinement. Mack proved he belongs in the Big East. Now, he has to prove he can win in it.
The jump for Georgetown doesn’t happen if Mack is merely a volume scorer—it happens when his decision-making, shot selection, and command of the offense take a tangible step forward. Rauf isn’t predicting it will happen, but he’s stating plainly that it must.
“KJ Lewis arrives from Arizona as a rugged, multipurpose backcourt partner whose defense and activity translate anywhere…”
This is about identity. For years, Georgetown has been defensively soft on the perimeter. Rauf’s use of the word “rugged” is music to Hoyas fans’ ears. Lewis will bring a level of physicality and a knack for disruption that Cooley’s best Providence teams always featured. He’s the type of player who changes the tenor of a game without needing to score 20 points, a vital ingredient the Hoyas miss with Micah Peavy in the NBA.
“That’s where Love’s gravity and Lewis’s slashing/defense come in as multipliers.”
The word “multipliers” is the key to Rauf’s hope for the backcourt. He sees these additions not as isolated talents but as pieces that directly amplify Mack’s game. 1+1+1=5.
Langston Love’s shooting (a career 38.8% from three, as Rauf notes) creates space that didn’t always exist for Mack last season (or in Canada). Lewis’s ability to get downhill and defend provides relief. It’s a vision of a symbiotic backcourt where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Health, as always, will be key.
“This idea of bringing in players from successful power conference programs extends beyond this expected starting duo, too.”
Here, Rauf astutely points out that Cooley isn’t just collecting talent: he’s importing a culture. Bringing in key contributors from places like Arizona (Lewis), Baylor (Love), and even UConn (Isaiah Abraham) means adding players who understand the daily habits and expectations of a high-level program.
This humble lunch blog has documented the heavy weight Cooley gives to communication styles and DISC assessments, so it’s not just a matter of poaching players from high level programs.
Rauf relays that “DeShawn Harris-Smith brings another sturdy guard body from Maryland, where he was one of few consistent bench contributors on a Sweet 16 team” and “Jeremiah Williams brings power conference experience from Rutgers.” Georgetown fans who have been paying attention this offseason know these two will be big parts of the backcourt.
Many from this roster have been in big games and practiced against elite talent. That kind of experience hopefully accelerates the learning curve for the entire roster.
Oh, and they all seem to have length, which is a good thing in this sport.
“Several national previews have already framed the Big East as ‘UConn and St. John’s… then a race,’ which is precisely where a coherent, veteran guard room can make you money from January on.”
Context is everything. Rauf correctly assesses the landscape of the Big East, seeing a power vacuum behind the top two teams. He’s not arguing that Georgetown is ready to challenge for a title, but that in a wide-open race for third, a team with a clear identity and a veteran backcourt has a significant advantage. The opportunity is there for the taking.
“If the Hoyas can find a reliable 40 minutes at center between those two—no fireworks required—everything else has room to blossom.”
“No fireworks required” is a succinct and accurate way to describe Georgetown’s needs at the center position. They need a steady presence.
With Thomas Sorber gone to the NBA, the temptation is to panic. Rauf, however, presents a more pragmatic view. The new-look Hoyas are evidently built around their guards.
The center spot doesn’t need a star; it needs stability, rebounding, and rim protection from Julius Halaifonua and Vincent Iwuchukwu.
“Halaifonua’s summer with New Zealand’s U19 team was exactly the kind of signpost you hope for from a sophomore big…”
This is a smart note by Rauf. Instead of just speculating on the 7-foot Halaifonua’s potential, he points to tangible evidence of his development in a competitive FIBA setting.
Fans who caught a glimpse believe Juliuis’ growth is real and that he’s ready for a much larger role. He’s not just a big body; he’s a mobile, skilled player who showed discernible progress against international talent.
Likewise, in Toronto, Vince showed some huge dunks and above-the-rim play. Layup consistency will be key.
“[Cooley] won big with lineups where the center’s box score ran modest while his on/off impact was loud—guys that were efficient and embraced the dirty work.”
By referencing Cooley’s lineup philosophy at Providence, Rauf hints that history can repeat in this chapter of a rebuild. Cooley is likely thinking that this isn’t a new challenge for this staff. His teams have consistently performed in the Big East without a dominant, All-Conference center.
This context makes the platoon of Halaifonua and Iwuchukwu seem not like a desperate stopgap, but a familiar and viable strategy. Hoyas fans also know that 6’8” Seal Diouf looked ready to play some small-ball center, as well as continue his development as a forward.
Georgetown can still be Big Man U, but Sorber is not walking out of that Georgetown tunnel this year and fans have to come to terms with that.
Rauf’s optimism is not unconditional. He clearly lays out the potential pitfalls. This isn’t a puff piece; it’s a balanced analysis that acknowledges what could go wrong.
“If Mack’s decision-making doesn’t sharpen, the turnover bug will turn winnable games into teaching moments. If the shooting doesn’t rise a couple of ticks, possessions will feel like trench warfare again.”
While defense looks stout, everyone and their mothers should be worried about the offense until we see it in motion.
The floor for this team is still uncomfortably low if the guards are inefficient and the center play is a liability. By including this reality check, Rauf reassures readers that the overall positive outlook is not blind optimism.
Still, Rauf’s deep dive doesn’t even touch on players like Jayden Fort, who was whispered about as an impact player during his redshirt campaign last year. Fans who watched the GLOBL JAM saw flashes from the new faces, but it’s hard to compare their level to the rest of the Division I, let alone the BIG EAST.
Looking around Twitter, Jon Rothstein has been consistently pumping Georgetown up all offseason as number 43 in his top-45 ranking. That feels like a bubble opportunity.
In the end, Rauf’s article doesn’t promise a national championship or even a top-25 ranking. It simply argues that for the first time in a decade, the pieces are in place for Georgetown to be relevant again. The path is set: elite guard play, a defense built on a proven foundation, and serviceable bigs.
It’s a formula that has provided a modicum of success for Ed Cooley before. And for a fan base desperate for something to believe in, it’s a compelling reason to feel a flicker of hope the program is trending upwards again. Now, the Hoyas just have to prove Rauf right.
Category: General Sports
