Ryan Mutombo 2021 commits to Georgetown

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2020 8:22:56 GMT -5 hoyafansinceewingera said:

Aug 7, 2020 5:57:35 GMT -5 MCIGuy said:

From everything I read the knock on Ryan is that he appears to be more of an old school back-to-basket bigman and thus can only play the five in this modern brand of basketball. And that worries me that the team could be overcrowded at that position next season even if someone transfers. I don't want a legacy kid like Ryan who is rated relatively high coming into the program to sit behind at least two guys whom I doubt he'll jump ahead of. It's a bad look and could cause a bit of division. How would Dikembe feel about that? And knowing THIS board if Ryan does sit and wait his turn for two years and the Hoyas recruit some stud big man from say the 2023 class, folks here would be penciling that player in the starting lineup ahead of Ryan. Some folks who are so eager to get Ryan now would brush off any consideration for his feelings in such a scenario, justifying it as typical outcome of big time college athletics. I realize I'm getting way ahead of things here but I don't want such a scenario to play out for the son of one of the program's greatest and most loyal players.

Me personally, I see Ryan as the traitional power forward.  I see him with his basket to the basket but playing the power forward position.  By his junior year, I see him dominating the inside game provided he gets stronger, gets better with his feet movement and get a couple of moves within those first two years.. 

If he can knock down the ten footer on a consistent basis and play the inside like Zo, Malone, Akeem (even though Akeem was a center), he should do fine and that would be all we need from him.  I personally don't see him playing the five in his first year because too me, he's too small.  They list him at 7 feet tall but I think it's more like he's 6'9" and like 210 pounds.

Nearly every single article about Ryan discusses his increasing size and strength and how he enjoys being a traditional 5 (it's literally the ONLY THING in his Twitter bio), and your comment is "I think he's a 6'9, 210 power forward".

Tremendous.

[dchoya72]

Ryan,
Considering that his dad is at least 7-3, he could be 7' now. I just havent seen enough footage to go crazy over him compared to the other options. I applaud him wanting to create his own path rather than accept what is a very sound opportunity. But based on the video I've/we've seen on this board, he is behind Reid and Holmgren in development. But who knows perhaps he just hasn't been in the pit to get the experience. I am sure he has the heart to do well and from what I've seen on film, it shows he has good positioning technique and I'm sure he has the pride to compete.

Tim has had international experience with the NBA Africa Academy. He arrived so late, I don't think we have seen what he can really do, only glimpses. He helped us last year, and I look forward to this year, to see how a year of acclimation has helped him. If he stayed here this summer, perhaps he has worked with and against Wahab...iron sharpening iron. and theres no telling what that renders for both of them. With not a word from Wilson, perhaps he's been in the mix. This is pure imagination on my part!!

My concern is we have one scholarship left and I would prefer that it be used in the most advantageous way. Ryan waiting does not help the situation, and Im sure he has options, just like the Hoyas.

[bostonfan]

Aug 7, 2020 0:43:58 GMT -5 blueandgray said:

Tim is the bigger and perhaps more athletic guy at this juncture. Ryan has been around the game a lot longer, has better court awareness, and his instincts on defense or very good. He also runs the court well and has more range than Tim does on offense.

I agree with all of this. Q was really impressive last season, especially at the end of the season, so I don't see Ryan playing in front of Q but I think Ryan and Tim would compete for playing time. As mentioned, Tim is very athletically gifted and shows some real potential, but he is still very raw as a basketball player. Ryan may not be as physically gifted, but it sounds like he is more polished and has more basketball skills and awareness at this stage of his career. In a perfect world the Hoyas would have 3 players who could effectively contribute at the 5 spot. I think the best path for Malcolm to get playing time is going to be if he can develop as a PF. Not sure how he is doing developing those skills but he does seem to be very agile for a guy his size.

Having too many talented players is never a bad thing!!!!

[bornhoya]

Aug 7, 2020 0:08:03 GMT -5 phniousgren said:

In total agreement, I don't see 4 star talent. In the small amount of footage I've seen I don't see enough strength or presence to move any of our current bigs to the bench. Imo he's slightly more impressive than Wilson was at that stage.

I saw Wilson play in high school and to say Ryan is slightly more impressive your definitely under selling Ryan

[MCIGuy]

Aug 7, 2020 8:07:43 GMT -5 ColumbiaHeightsHoya said:

Bigs in college rack up fouls. Yurt & Q got plenty of minutes this year and when Yurt went down we were scrambling. The kid is a top 75 recruit which is higher then all the bigs on our roster. He has apparently developed rapidly this past year and I am sure he will continue to improve. That will to work is probably our guys most important trait. Tim can be great on D but man was he a project. There is nothing wrong with a kid not starting his freshman year and developing into a useful piece in year 2 which is what we all would expect here. I would like the pick up.

Okay what am I missing here? I am not denying that Ighoefe has to make some big strides but when I read a comment such as “but man was he a project” I conjure up images of Pascal Fluery or Roy Hibbert, going into his senior high school year, playing in the Kenner Leagues. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I felt with Ighoefe it was more lacking polish than being raw. Maybe that’s just semantics.

Lets not forget that Tim played 12 whole games last season. And this was after coming into the season having never played in an American game of basketball at all outside of two or so games in the Bahamas in late summer 2019. There was next to no time for adjustment for him. He didn’t get to play pickup games with current teammates during the summer to get a better feel. He did not get to play in the Kenner League to help speed up the process. He was thrown cold into his first organized American game.

Of the 12 games he played in during the regular season the first didn’t come until December 17th. He would go on to play two more contests against early season competition, each time making it to the floor only at the very tail end. Following that he would see a minute in both of the Hoyas’ first two Big East games, both being blowout losses on the road to Providence and Seton Hall. It would be a month and a half before he saw the court again, playing a string of seven games to end the regular season. The most minutes he played in a single game was 20. Its pretty hard for a guy from overseas to get up to speed to a higher level of basketball under these conditions. It wasn’t as if he sat out a year like Dikembe did or had an entire season to be thrown into the fire and learn like Hibbert.

Despite the disadvantages I nonetheless saw a guy who looked like he belonged on the court in terms of his agility, body, quickness and good hands. Of course he had his share of mishaps and admittedly his timing was off. But he was also strong inside the paint, able to hold his position for the most part, able to get the rebounds he was in position to get, able to finish inside. And despite barely touching the ball on offense, I recall two times (American, @marquette) in which he was able to reverse pivot in the paint to knock down a faceup jumper. That does not scream project to me. When the Hoya Instagram site put up a video wishing him a Happy Birthday back in June, Terrell Allen posted comments that Tim was “most improved”. I am looking forward to his development.

And I’ll end it at that because this is thread for Ryan Mutombo after all and I hadn’t planned taking the thread off track like this.

[cthoya16]

Ryan will contribute right away- with all due respect to Tim and Malcolm, Ryan is a full blown high major prospect and would likely be above them in the pecking order from day one. I don’t love rankings but he’s the 36th best player in the country in 247 rankings and has offers from Arizona, FSU etc.

If Ryan wants to come we take him, no need to overthink this one. I think Pat will mold him into an NBA caliber big in 2-3 years.

[RBHoya]

Little mention of Malcolm Wilson in this thread either. I think there's an implicit assumption that because he didn't play last year at a time when we needed bodies that he's going to be a non-factor for his career. But to the contrary, I think we did what was best for him by not playing him, and there was minimal value in throwing him out there given that center was the one position where we had depth. He looked good in the Bahamas, I've always liked his length/athleticism/rim protection combination, and considering that he is effectively a freshman next season, I think he still has a bright future.

Between Tim, Malcolm and Ryan, there's really very little meaningful tape against quality competition to evaluate, so I think it's near impossible to say who will be the best player a couple years from now. And I can see why there'd be concern that we could create a logjam and have to do some personality management or risk fraying relationships.

But all that said, I think we're overthinking this. Ryan is a consensus Top 100 prospect and the son of a Hall of Famer and proud Hoya. He's also a very bright kid who by all indications fits the kind of person we want to build our program around. If he wants to be a Hoya, IMHO there's a spot for him without any reservations or conditions. What his minutes would look like in the early going, it's tough to say. But when in doubt, I think you always bet on good genetics. He has risen up the recruiting rankings pretty rapidly, from being a fringe high major prospect at the beginning of last year to having countless SEC, ACC and PAC 12 offers this spring. No one can predict exactly how the lineup will shake out by his freshman year or beyond, but as we've seen over the last 12 months, things are so fluid that trying to project 2-3 years down the line is futile. You never know where your roster will be by then. It's hard for me to envision any scenario in which Ryan would want to come and we wouldn't immediately jump on it.

Also, not saying that he will, but if Ryan committed in the near future, I expect we would continue aggressively recruiting other wings and guards in the 2021 class (Mohammed, Robinson, etc.). The reality is, given how many positionally redundant players we've taken in the last few classes, and given how fluid college basketball rosters are today, the odds of a departure by the end of next year is extremely high. It's also not at all uncommon for teams to accept verbals that put them over the limit, knowing that things will work out over the course of many months. Hopefully if/when that happens we can avoid the totally pointless message board weenie "omg, who is leaving??" speculation--but based on past experience I'm not confident.

[calhoya]

It seems unrealistic in this "new normal" for college athletics to assume that there will be no transfers in any given year. Having lost 4 starters from last year's opening game roster--every one of whom had remaining eligibility--it seems prudent for the coaches to keep all recruiting channels open even at positions of apparent redundancy. Would like to see Mutombo come, but also do not think that there can be a hold on any scholarship for a legacy recruit who has not yet committed.

[s4hoyas]

Back in June Ryan announced that he was 235lbs, and that his weight gain was mostly muscle...somewhere back in his thread he said he was 6'11 (also said he may reach 7'0 soon)...I wish the mods would change the 6'9 reference and others would cease with the 210 lbs...

[mdtd]

Aug 6, 2020 23:04:05 GMT -5 MCIGuy said:

If he picked Gtown I am still of the belief he would not be as good as either Qudus or Tim when he arrives. Is he willing to spend two years of not getting much playing time? Are the Hoyas in a position to use up another schollie on a big who won't see the floor immediately?

I don't know if I can phrase this in the best way, but I'd take Ryan right now over Tim 10/10 times. Ryan has actual post moves and better touch. Tim has potential, but very little polish. Tim is clearly very strong and gets up and down the floor well, but his awareness of where to be on the floor isn't great, his touch around the rim leaves much to be desired (though can easily be improved), and his post up game has shown nothing, yet. While with Ryan, everything I've seen indicates he has a very good touch, is a good rim protector and rebounder, has polish in the low post where he can make plays both by passing the ball and getting himself a bucket, but isn't a great athlete and doesn't run the floor very well. Ryan has more skill at this point and as his ranking would suggest, he's able to compete at this level immediately. I don't think he'd start over Q, but I'd take him over Tim (also, I think Tim should redshirt this season to work on the development of these skills, which I think would really benefit him in the long run).

As mentioned in this thread, Malcolm Wilson is one of the players I want to see most. Coming off of a redshirt season, which really could only help his development, I thought he needed more muscle inside and better touch out to like 15 feet. He's a very good shot blocker and can run the floor pretty well, but that strength and better touch around the rim would help him tons. We haven't seen him in game for a long time, so I would hope that he improved as I expect him to. The redshirt season could've been huge for him and I hope it paid off. But again, from everything I've seen, I'd take Ryan over Wilson, just with much more uncertainty.

Plus, if Tim and Malcolm are as good as this board thinks they can be, having four good bigs is a very good problem to have. Ryan's not a layer who'd going to stand out in highlights. He's a more traditional low post big with good touch but is not a great athlete. You won't see him dunk over anyone, but he will make plays that help your team. I'd love to have him.

[Hoyas4Ever]

I think this whole conversation about positional log jams at the Center position is a little silly especially at a program known for its development of BIG MEN. I also think the discounting of Malcolm Wilson's potential is naive.

I don't see a log jam whatsoever! I see the opportunity for Qudus Wahab to have a tremendous season and enter his name in next year's draft. There are many reasons why I see this as a strong possibility:

In Coach Ewing's tenure so far he's had at least one front court player avg. a double-double. Wahab is up next.

Wahab is Coach Ewing first real recruited freshman Post player. Sodom wasn't around long enough or part of traditional recruitment. If Wahab avg. a double-double (which he will) as a sophomore, shows consistent or at least a developing mid range jumper (he showed signs of a developing jump shot in high) and is an active shot blocker (minimum 2 bpg), which he's very capable of doing, I could see him playing onto a bunch of draft boards and giving himself the opportunity to at least go through the pre-draft process.

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2020 8:30:52 GMT -5 @nychoya94 said:

Aug 7, 2020 8:22:56 GMT -5 hoyafansinceewingera said:

Me personally, I see Ryan as the traitional power forward.  I see him with his basket to the basket but playing the power forward position.  By his junior year, I see him dominating the inside game provided he gets stronger, gets better with his feet movement and get a couple of moves within those first two years.. 

If he can knock down the ten footer on a consistent basis and play the inside like Zo, Malone, Akeem (even though Akeem was a center), he should do fine and that would be all we need from him.  I personally don't see him playing the five in his first year because too me, he's too small.  They list him at 7 feet tall but I think it's more like he's 6'9" and like 210 pounds.

Nearly every single article about Ryan discusses his increasing size and strength and how he enjoys being a traditional 5 (it's literally the ONLY THING in his Twitter bio), and your comment is "I think he's a 6'9, 210 power forward".

Tremendous.

I know that he is getting bigger and stronger as the reports have stated.  I just think that he will be much stronger and better for the center position by the time he is a junior.  I know that he has been working to get bigger with the weight lifting and stuff over this past school year so maybe he will be ready for the center position by the time he hits campus.  Regardless, I want him and he will be our top recruit for 21'

[Deleted]

Guys, we can have Tim, Que, Malcolm and Mutombo. I don't see no problems at all. I can see all of them contributing to the team's success. I can see a combination of duo's on the court at the same time with no problem. You guys must have forgotten Zo and Mutombo back in the day.

[SDHoya]

1. Ryan has not committed here, nor is there even indication of an impending commitment.
2. Are there seriously any posters here who would not want a Mutombo wearing blue and gray?

[MCIGuy]

Aug 7, 2020 13:07:16 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

1. Ryan has not committed here, nor is there even indication of an impending commitment.
2. Are there seriously any posters here who would not want a Mutombo wearing blue and gray?

Not want? I wouldn't go that far myself personally.

But I don't buy into some of this hype. I mean there are actual folks who apparently think that Ryan is this superior prospect based upon limited footage against bad high school competition and because of Ryan's Top 100 ranking. If you have been a college basketball fan for quite a bit haven't you learned from now not to go by things like that? Sibley is the most highly regarded recruit coming into this upcoming season but it wouldn't surprise me if his lesser ranked counterparts may be more ready to contribute to Georgetown if a season does happen.

I hope if Ryan comes here he ends up being a great, great player. I will always root for the players on the roster rather than mentally tossing them aside in favor of the new toy that will show up on campus the following year. I can't sit here and predict with certainty which players will end up being better but I gotta laugh at those who claim Ryan has a better feel for the game and is much more skilled without having any evidence to back it up. Save that talk for when he shows what he's got when playing his first dozen games against elevated collegiate competition.

[footahh]

I get there is Tim love around here but it's crazy to think Mutombo doesn't walk into that back-up role. Tim and Malcolm have played what? 115 minutes? And outside of Tim's 4 minute stretch at Butler, there is no evidence either of them are ready for even a back-up role. Tim has some great tools - he is huge and can move, but at the moment there is no feel for the game and I doubt he'll be able to stay out of foul trouble for the foreseeable future. I'll wait to make a permanent judgement as both will have the chance to show they are capable this year.

As for Ryan, overrated or not, I think you are completely underselling him. He'd be our first consensus Top 100 center out of high school since Jessie (and before that, Henry?) -- I won't count Lubick. And if you are a center that Florida State at least wanted in some capacity, you're probably better and tougher than what we've put out there the past 8 years. According to his twitter, he's up to 6-11 and 235 (about what Qudus was last year). No center is going to be completely polished as a 17 year old but you can't use that argument as to why Tim will develop a la Hibbert while a guy like Mutombo just can't play. He is a thousand miles ahead of Tim at this stage.

We aren't a program that has the luxury of turning our nose up to good players and to get back to respectable levels, you need to be 2 deep at each position and especially at center. If Tim or Malcolm show something this year and we don't get Ryan, then great! But if Ryan steps foot on campus, he will be heavily in the rotation. I'm sure of that.

[MCIGuy]

The "Tim has no feel for the game" has become a ridiculous talking point. Break it down how some of you have come to that conclusion rather than repeating the same line. A young player, especially a foreign one, develops feel largely through the familiarity which comes with minutes on the court. Tim hardly got any of that. Then to come to the conclusion that he's unlikely to ever improve? What metric are people using to come to that conclusion? And the exaggeration of all exaggerations that Ryan is 1000 times better at the same stage? Again...new toy syndrome. So eager to see what the new would-be recruit will do that you mentally toss out any possibility that a current player you are not enamored with will be better; just so you can justify in your head the minutes that current player won't get.

Hope Ryan is a stud but in the meantime can someone point me to the footage that displays the superior feel for the game he has as well as the examples that showcase how he is a billion times better than some of the other guys on the roster? Thanks.

[BeantownHoya]

This thread is amazing...

A few months ago Mutumbo was a must have and a failure on Ewing's part if he doesn't reel him in...

...now we are debating the value he brings to the roster

[hoyas89]

Exactly why it is so hard to come to this board at all...

[HoyaDr]

Aug 7, 2020 17:14:39 GMT -5 hoyas89 said:

Exactly why it is so hard to come to this board at all...

Seriously, what is wrong with everybody here? Look at the beginning of the 2021 thread and now look at the last few days of posts here. How could anybody question Ryan committing to Georgetown? It's ludicrous