Georgetown Builds Momentum with Big Weekend in the Transfer Portal

Not one...not two...not three...but four players in the transfer portal committed to Georgetown over the weekend.

The gets just kept coming one after another this weekend for Ed Cooley and the Georgetown Hoyas.

The fun kicked off on Saturday afternoon when Georgia Tech transfer forward Duncan Powell committed to Georgetown. Powell, who averaged 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds last season, gives Georgetown its starting power forward for the 2025–26 season.

Powell’s calling card is his shot-making ability from the perimeter. Powell shot 35.8% from three on an average of 4.5 three-point attempts per game last season. His three-point attempt rate of 48.4% was in the 80th percentile in the nation for players at his position.

Sunday was where the real fireworks came though, just from sheer quantity of transfer commitments to Georgetown.

UConn transfer wing Isaiah Abraham, who was a top-100 recruit coming out of Paul VI, committed to Georgetown on Sunday.

He wouldn’t be the only Paul VI alum to decide to join Georgetown that day, however. DeShawn Harris-Smith, who just wrapped up his sophomore season at Maryland, also committed to the Hoyas on Sunday night.

Abraham and Harris-Smith not only played at Paul VI but also suited up for the same AAU program—Team Takeover. Beyond their on-court abilities, their decisions reinforce the work Cooley and his staff are doing to elevate Georgetown’s local recruiting footprint and build a “DMV fence” to keep top regional talent on the Hilltop.

Abraham played sparingly in his lone season at UConn, but Harris-Smith saw more significant minutes over two years at Maryland—although his playing time declined as a sophomore, from 29.5 minutes per game to just 15.4.

Harris-Smith made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2023–24, averaging 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.

The following season was a classic sophomore slump. Cooley and his staff will hope to help Harris-Smith rediscover the form he showed in high school, when he was named WCAC Player of the Year, earned Naismith All-America Honorable Mention, and won Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year—all in 2023.

Fixing DHS’s shot will be priority number one for Georgetown. This season, he shot 39.5% from the field and 20% from three-point range. His true shooting percentage of 44.4% this past season ranked 11th out of 14 players on Maryland’s roster.

Three transfers in one weekend would have been a haul on its own—but Hoya fans got one more surprise Sunday night.

KJ Lewis, the Arizona transfer guard who is one of the top two-way players in the portal this offseason, also announced his commitment to Georgetown.

Georgetown’s coaching staff had prioritized Lewis early, making him a top target. The Hoyas were early favorites to land him, but uncertainty grew as programs like Kansas, UCLA, Texas, NC State, and Ole Miss entered the mix.

Lewis, who was coached by Micah Peavy’s father, David, in high school, projects to slide into a similar role to the one Peavy filled for the Hoyas this past season.

According to EvanMiya.com’s Bayesian Performance Rating, Lewis was Arizona’s third-best player this season—ranking ahead of even star guard Caleb Love.

Defensively, he should provide a big lift. Per CBBAnalytics.com, Lewis’ steal percentage of 3.0% ranks in the 83rd percentile among all guards, and his Hakeem percentage (block% + steal%) places him in the 97th percentile among all guards.

The weekend’s additions may well round out Georgetown’s starting lineup—if Thomas Sorber returns. If he does, the Hoyas could start Malik Mack, Langston Love, KJ Lewis, Duncan Powell, and Sorber.

If Love stays healthy, that’s a starting five that can compete with the best in the Big East.

According to EvanMiya.com, Georgetown currently holds the ninth-best incoming transfer class in the country—and second-best in the Big East, behind only Creighton.

With Tuesday’s news of Kayvaun Mulready transferring out, Georgetown now has 12 scholarship players. There may still be 1–2 more departures from the current roster, but these situations are fluid.

If Sorber stays in the NBA Draft, Georgetown will likely need to add a center via the portal. Julius Halaifonua is on the roster but played in just six games as a freshman before suffering a fractured ankle. Relying on him as the starting center out of the gate next season would be a big gamble.

The status of Sorber aside, Georgetown has put itself in a better position this offseason already compared to last offseason by getting a majority of its roster business done earlier in the window.

That won’t translate directly into wins next season, but it does help get an earlier start on the team-building process for the coaching staff in practices and workouts.

There are still likely some offseason dominoes left to fall, but Georgetown’s portal activity has been exactly what you want to see if you’re a Hoya fan. The coaching staff is giving this team a real shot at success and improved results in 2025 and beyond.