2021 Recruiting Thread

[FrazierFanatic]

Jun 25, 2020 14:00:21 GMT -5 wponds said:

As excited as I am to see him at Georgetown, I think this is a good choice. A lot of uncertainty around next season, don't blame him for taking this route whatsoever. Also good (as a fan) to have this 'rumor' situation sorted out

Definitely helps with class balance too. Here's his statement on Instagram:

http://instagr.am/p/CB3knPrFctH

Well it only helps with class balance if we don't bring in another freshman with the scholarship!

Wait, isn't Cisse announcing in the next few days??🤔

[RockawayHoya]

So the Beard decision begs a lot of questions and causes some concern.

Did he ever sign a LOI? And if he did, is that still valid even though he's going to prep a year?

If the answer to either question is no, do we have legitimate concerns he'll go the T-Will route on us? Understand the IG post above reaffirms his commitment today, but we've been burned before.

How much does this delay hurt/help us for '20-'21? I think with Mac leaving, Beard was in line for significant minutes next year. The flip side of the coin is that for those of you wondering how we were going to accommodate Sibande/Nembhard/Cisse, here's your answer. Absent an impact transfer/late-signing, I think Beard delaying his enrollment lowers the ceiling a little bit, and it's not that high to begin with.

[dense]

I think he just wants the number 0 and is waiting for Blair to leave.....kidding

Well this makes the Cisse and Nembhard announcements more interesting especially Cisse cause we still would have 4 schollies for 2021 if its him.

[wponds]

Jun 25, 2020 14:23:11 GMT -5 RockawayHoya said:

So the Beard decision begs a lot of questions and causes some concern.

Did he ever sign a LOI? And if he did, is that still valid even though he's going to prep a year?

If the answer to either question is no, do we have legitimate concerns he'll go the T-Will route on us? Understand the IG post above reaffirms his commitment today, but we've been burned before.

How much does this delay hurt/help us for '20-'21? I think with Mac leaving, Beard was in line for significant minutes next year. The flip side of the coin is that for those of you wondering how we were going to accommodate Sibande/Nembhard/Cisse, here's your answer. Absent an impact transfer/late-signing, I think Beard delaying his enrollment lowers the ceiling a little bit, and it's not that high to begin with.

Not sure about the LOI, but I don't think he signed it. Not publicly at least. I'm going to choose to view this as if we just got an early commit for 2021 and hope he signs in the Fall before he potentially blows up during the season (if there is one). Definitely a little scarred from T Will, but I hope Pat & Co. stay on him hard and keep showing him love.

In terms of this coming season, yeah... Lowers the ceiling definitely. But as you said, it wasn't very high to begin with. At this point, just gotta be good enough to show signs of life for the future and continue to build a good culture IMO

[RockawayHoya]

Jun 25, 2020 14:33:23 GMT -5 dense said:

I think he just wants the number 0 and is waiting for Blair to leave.....kidding

Well this makes the Cisse and Nembhard announcements more interesting especially Cisse cause we still would have 4 schollies for 2021 if its him.

Nembhard is already off the board to Gonzaga. Agree on Cisse though, whatever small chance that may be.

[blazers32]

Back to having another schalorahip available. Does the staff use it?

[blazers32]

Jun 25, 2020 14:39:34 GMT -5 RockawayHoya said:

Jun 25, 2020 14:33:23 GMT -5 dense said:

I think he just wants the number 0 and is waiting for Blair to leave.....kidding

Well this makes the Cisse and Nembhard announcements more interesting especially Cisse cause we still would have 4 schollies for 2021 if its him.

Nembhard is already off the board to Gonzaga. Agree on Cisse though, whatever small chance that may be.

Very Very small chance

[rhw485]

A bunch of interesting angles to unpack on the Beard decision:

• Absolutely his decision, respect that he studied this from every angle and he's absolute allowed to make whatever decision he thinks is in his best interest
• LOI or no LOI I don't think really matters here.  Even if he signed one and he ultimately decides he wants to leave, Gtown would get criticized for not letting him out.
• Appreciate that he re-affirmed his desire to come to the Hilltop, but I think you have to view this as constantly re-recruiting him for the entire year.  He might have every intention now of coming to campus 2021, but who knows what schools will try and poach.
• From a logistics argument, I'd feel better about this if the prep school he chose was in Chicago.  If travel and being away from family is the concern, enrolling at Hargrave doesn't necessarily solve that
• If the concern was wasting a year of eligibility in what could be a shortened season, couldn't you enroll and proactively tell the staff you want to redshirt?  Would Gtown really say no to that bc they don't want to tie up the scholarship?  I doubt that but if Cisse signs maybe that's more palatable.  Not holding my breath on either one of those
•  If you're going to travel from Chicago to the DMV area, I'm just not sure how enrolling at Hargrave is better from a player development angle.  Do you think it's more likely Hargrave gets to play its games than Gtown?

Very curious to see if other players come to the same conclusion or if it's a one-off decision.

[bostonfan]

Not sure how much this impacts the upcoming season. I was excited to see Beard play and thought he had the best chance of the freshman to earn big minutes, but there was no guarantee that things would work out that way. I think the staff hoped for a good year from him, but it was far from a sure thing. Like all the incoming freshman, you don't really know what you have with them until they get on campus and start practicing against other college players. If the staff does use this scholarship on another player then the real impact of him deferring a year will depend on who that new player is. If it is another freshman then the impact is probably not significant (unless it is Cisse), if it is a grad transfer with experience, then it might be an upgrade in the overall talent/experience level. Although I can't imagine there are too many impact grad transfers left at this point.

[mdtd]

Jun 25, 2020 14:45:39 GMT -5 rhw485 said:

A bunch of interesting angles to unpack on the Beard decision:

• Absolutely his decision, respect that he studied this from every angle and he's absolute allowed to make whatever decision he thinks is in his best interest
• LOI or no LOI I don't think really matters here.  Even if he signed one and he ultimately decides he wants to leave, Gtown would get criticized for not letting him out.
• Appreciate that he re-affirmed his desire to come to the Hilltop, but I think you have to view this as constantly re-recruiting him for the entire year.  He might have every intention now of coming to campus 2021, but who knows what schools will try and poach.
• From a logistics argument, I'd feel better about this if the prep school he chose was in Chicago.  If travel and being away from family is the concern, enrolling at Hargrave doesn't necessarily solve that
• If the concern was wasting a year of eligibility in what could be a shortened season, couldn't you enroll and proactively tell the staff you want to redshirt?  Would Gtown really say no to that bc they don't want to tie up the scholarship?  I doubt that but if Cisse signs maybe that's more palatable.  Not holding my breath on either one of those
•  If you're going to travel from Chicago to the DMV area, I'm just not sure how enrolling at Hargrave is better from a player development angle.  Do you think it's more likely Hargrave gets to play its games than Gtown?

Very curious to see if other players come to the same conclusion or if it's a one-off decision.

I don't think Beard's going to be the only one. I agree with the LOI and point and agree that we will still have to seal the deal. One of the schools I've heard as really recruiting him was West Virginia, so him going to Hargrave is bad in a sense there, though they have two PG's and two SG's along with two JUCO transfers coming in at that position, according to verbalcommits. I'd expect some of those guys to play at the three, but the backcourt is still pretty full. The decision to go to Hargrave to me is more of an "if there's basketball, I want to play and if not, I don't want to potentially lose a year of eligibility or have a shortened season, when I can have a full season with no loss to me" than him likely (though, still a possibility) leaving. I think him going prep doesn't hurt him at all and could develop him while eliminating any risk of losing eligibility.

That being said, unless you can get someone like a Cisse or someone who's really talented and would start on day one, I wouldn't use the scholarship. I don't like the idea of going 12 deep, let alone 13 as I think it creates more problems than are needed (looking at Texas, the smaller rotation was how they went on a run, and the 7 man team for us was much better than the 11 man roster) so, I don't see a need to fill the spot. If someone who's really good shows interest, pursue that, and if not, keep it open.  

[wponds]

I'd leave the spot open unless someone they love comes along.

Every spot they fill from here will be a spot gone from the 2021 and 2022 classes (unless a grad transfer), which I think at this point are more important than filling it with a random guy just for the sake of having 13 players

[blazers32]

More minutes for Dante Harris. More than Ewing probably wanted to give him.

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

Maybe Cisse comes by the same logic that if there isn't going to be basketball this year, why not learn from one of the best bigs to ever do it while getting a great education (for six months)? I can see that making sense too.

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 10:25:18 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

Jun 22, 2020 20:58:42 GMT -5 hoyafansinceewingera said:

Dear Coach Ewing if you should see this message, I believe that I have the remedy to help get the local kids to stick with Georgetown. Just like when you decided to come to DC to play with Coach Thompson and the Hoyas, you like what you saw in the Hoyas. Most kids, in the local area and beyond, like the fact that they could be playing for a legend in you. That fact you can capitalize on and have been capitalizing on, I know. However, I believe, there is one most important ingredient that you guys may or may not be including in your recruiting pitch to have the locals want to come and play for the Hoyas. That ingredient or selling point that you MIGHT BE missing coach is to sell the local kids on staying home to play for a DC school.

Listen to what I am saying Coach. You see I gave the spill of how you and Coach Thompson made all innercity kids from all over the country feel about Georgetown. Georgetown back then stood for pride. Pride was a key selling point, at least I believe. You have got to bring that pride back but in a different way. Today, the kids, I believe still have pride in DC. DC has a rich culture with sports and music and plus it is a beautiful city with plenty of resources. Local kids, as well as kids from all over the country can relate to DC's music culture and it's sports culture. However, this is about selling the local kids on playing for Georgetown "The DC school".

Coach when you came here, we had great local talent in guys like Gene Smith, Ed Spriggs, Eric Smith, Mike Hancock that help support you and Sleepy Floyd. In the year you came, Coach Thompson had recruited Billy Martin and Anthony "Reds" Jones, two of the top talents in DC in that time and later added Michael Graham, another DC high school basket legend. In the earlier years you had local DC greats such as John "Bay Bay" Duren, Craig Shelton, Al Dutch, Bill Lynn, Craig Esherick and Mike Riley. Up the beltway, Coach Thompson snatched up great players like Ed Hopkins, David Wingate, Reggie Williams, Ralph Dalton and Michael Jackson.  Later came DC guys like Victor Page, Charles Smith, Don Reid Mark Tillmon, Lonnie Harrel, Irvin Church, Robert Churchwell, Ruben etc. There were other great DC players subsequently and I am no way purposedly leaving them out but this is about the Coach Thompson years.

Coach, you and the staff have got to market Georgetown as "the DC School" and build pride in that. I believe this is one way you can get the kids from DC and the local surrounding areas to want to stay home and play for the Hoyas. We have got to get these great kids from the local area, Bmore and VA to pick Georgetown again just like they did when you were a player. Maryland doesn't have anything culturally greater than Georgetown because Georgetown has DC! No way should we be losing local recruits to Maryland University.

Recruiting staff have got to bring back some of the DC Hoyas legends, Gene and Eric Smith, recent stars like Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, Jason Clark, Henry Simms and Markel Starks to help with the efforts of selling DC pride to the kids. These guys should help to sway the locals and the beltway players with just thier presence. You rebuild the Hoya brand by selling Georgetown as "the DC School" and use DC as the "loyalty" to help rebuild the brand. The University itself should build slogans around it being "the DC School" and build marketing around it.

If you can get a few great local talent to stay home, you can begin that local pipeline again like you guys had it in the 70's and 80's. After that you get some great outside recuit(s) to come here, just like when you chose to come to Georgetown and we are back in business baby! That should be the formula coach. I hope you read this post and I hope your guys can come up with the formula to sell Georgetown as "the DC School". There is no reason why we can't have a monopoly on the local kids which are the best amateur basketball players in the country just like Coach Thompson did during your time (the Hoya's heyday).

Dear Hoyas Fan,

Georgetown is always excited to see our fans engaged! The entire men's basketball program has put in an incredible amount of work on and off the court, and we are excited to begin training for our 2020-2021 campaign. We hope to see you at the Capital One Center. If you are not already a Hoyas Men's Basketball season ticket holder, here is a link to order yours:

tinyurl.com/2g9mqh

Love,
Coach Ewing

Thank you Coach!  I have faith in you, the assistant coaches and the staff.  I am excited for the future!  We will see you and the program at Capitol One next season!  Let's Go Hoyas!

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 10:31:20 GMT -5 DoctorHoya said:

Jun 25, 2020 10:25:18 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

Dear Hoyas Fan,

Georgetown is always excited to see our fans engaged! The entire men's basketball program has put in an incredible amount of work on and off the court, and we are excited to begin training for our 2020-2021 campaign. We hope to see you at the Capital One Center. If you are not already a Hoyas Men's Basketball season ticket holder, here is a link to order yours:

tinyurl.com/2g9mqh

Love,
Coach Ewing

DAMN YOU!!!

That's our coach!!

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 12:43:49 GMT -5 hoya59er said:

I applaud the post about DC recruiting. Such a load of top talent here. We "owned" the DC and Baltimore area in the past, when we were a great program. Let's work to develop the reputation that we lost under III's later years and have yet to regain under Coach Ewing. If Patrick can restore our reputation with our local kids, we'll be well on our way back.

Exactly! 

[dchoya72]

That would've been nice, but that couldn't be our coach. But whoever wrote it expressed a good sentiment. I hope we pick up a big forward. Cisse would be great!

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 17:40:19 GMT -5 dchoya72 said:

That would've been nice, but that couldn't be our coach. But whoever wrote it expressed a good sentiment. I hope we pick up a big forward. Cisse would be great!

I had expressed that I would love for us to pick up Cisse, Mutombo, Frankie and either Kepnang, Baldwin or Holmgreen and one of the posters told me, we could only have one.  The poster told me we can either have Frankie or Mutombo as if getting all four or a majority of the four was totally not an option.  He was acting like getting four top players was too good for the Hoyas.  If we do get a Cisse pickup, next year will be interesting.

[rhw485]

Jun 25, 2020 18:47:09 GMT -5 hoyafansinceewingera said:

Jun 25, 2020 17:40:19 GMT -5 dchoya72 said:

That would've been nice, but that couldn't be our coach. But whoever wrote it expressed a good sentiment. I hope we pick up a big forward. Cisse would be great!

I had expressed that I would love for us to pick up Cisse, Mutombo, Frankie and either Kepnang, Baldwin or Holmgreen and one of the posters told me, we could only have one.  The poster told me we can either have Frankie or Mutombo as if getting all four or a majority of the four was totally not an option.  He was acting like getting four top players was too good for the Hoyas.  If we do get a Cisse pickup, next year will be interesting.

So I have to ask...I really appreciated your passionate note about controlling the DC area, it was clear it was from the heart.  And then your ideal class includes exactly nobody from the DMV.    

To me it summarizes the dilemma the staff seems to be fighting.  They're chasing the best players in the country, which is understandable.  But is the staff's time better spent controlling the area like you wanted and fighting more realistic battles than waging wars against blue bloods for players w no ties to the region?

It's easy to say do both, but that clearly hasn't worked and we're kinda stuck in the middle.  Letting other people come into the DMV and fighting uphill battles across the country where we can't seal the deal.  The plan needs to shift one way or another.

[Deleted]

Jun 26, 2020 6:42:37 GMT -5 rhw485 said:

Jun 25, 2020 18:47:09 GMT -5 hoyafansinceewingera said:

I had expressed that I would love for us to pick up Cisse, Mutombo, Frankie and either Kepnang, Baldwin or Holmgreen and one of the posters told me, we could only have one.  The poster told me we can either have Frankie or Mutombo as if getting all four or a majority of the four was totally not an option.  He was acting like getting four top players was too good for the Hoyas.  If we do get a Cisse pickup, next year will be interesting.

So I have to ask...I really appreciated your passionate note about controlling the DC area, it was clear it was from the heart.  And then your ideal class includes exactly nobody from the DMV.    

To me it summarizes the dilemma the staff seems to be fighting.  They're chasing the best players in the country, which is understandable.  But is the staff's time better spent controlling the area like you wanted and fighting more realistic battles than waging wars against blue bloods for players w no ties to the region?

It's easy to say do both, but that clearly hasn't worked and we're kinda stuck in the middle.  Letting other people come into the DMV and fighting uphill battles across the country where we can't seal the deal.  The plan needs to shift one way or another.

Hi, I appreciate your response in regards to my and I am pretty sure most posters wanting the coaching staff to get rooted in the DC area recruits.  It may seem like a contradiction since I stated getting four or the majority remaining recruits THAT WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED RECRUITING which are not from the DMV area. 

It is quite obvious that we have (the coaching staff) has established relationships with the guys that I mentioned in "my desire" post (Frankie, Mutombo, Baldwin, Kepnang, Holmgren and Cisse).   So my point is since we have already established relationships with the top guys for 21, it would be nice to land two or even three of them.  I would like to land four if possible.

There aren't many DC players, at least to my knowledge, that we have a more sustained relationships with like we do with the guys that I mentioned.  Now, going forward with 22, 23,24 etc...I think we should establish a stronghold on local recruits.  That's all I was saying; there is no contradiction.