Georgetown's Offseason To-Do List

There is plenty of work for the Hoyas to do between now and November 2021. Here's what should be on their to-do list this summer.

It was a fantastic 2020-21 season for Georgetown men’s basketball, capped off with a miracle championship run in the Big East Tournament, but we here at Hilltop Hoops are already turning the page to 2021-22. After all, Georgetown is still involved with a certain top-5 2021 recruit, there are roster questions that need to be sorted, and (if it’s held) Kenner League is in but a few short months (maybe)!

Here is what Georgetown’s coaches and players should be working on between now and the first game of the 2021-22 season.

1. Figure out which seniors/grad transfers are staying or going

Until further notice, this is the highest priority for Georgetown, and will dictate the rest of their offseason strategy.

Don Carey appears to have had a change of heart, and seems to be leaning toward returning to Georgetown next season, where he would be all but assured of being the team’s starting shooting guard next season.

Carey shot 45% from three this season, and was a dependable player for Georgetown when his number was called this season. Hoyas fans should want him back.

Elsewhere, Jahvon Blair seems to be a goner, especially after his late season benching by Patrick Ewing. Jamorko Pickett would appear to have little left to prove on the Hilltop, and it would be surprising to see him return.

The big question mark is Chudier Bile. Bile asserted himself as the team’s starting power forward in the second half of the season, and Georgetown would have a hole at the starting 4 position if Bile decides to move on after this season. This one really seems 50/50, as things currently stand. Bile, like Carey, would be in line to start if he returns next season.

2. Find a starting stretch-4

If Bile leaves, in addition to Pickett, Georgetown is going to be in a pickle at the 4 next season. One simple solution would be Patrick Baldwin Jr., the #4 player in the Class of 2021 who has yet to commit to a school. There has been some legitimate noise around Georgetown as a contender for Baldwin in the last few weeks, and Baldwin is exactly what this team needs for next season: an athletic, shot-making forward who can create for himself and others. Baldwin and Aminu Mohammed would be one of the elite duos in all of college basketball next season if Baldwin were to come to the Hilltop.

If Baldwin goes elsewhere, expect the Hoyas to hit the transfer market for a starting power forward. If they were to keep things status quo and not bring anyone in, that would mean Jamari Sibley would potentially be in line to start next season, which is a big risk considering the lack of playing time for Sibley this season.

3. Get in the gym early and often

We heard it from the very second Patrick Ewing first spoke with the media this season, that Georgetown was at a disadvantage from the jump because they were the last team in the Big East to return to practice. Ewing stuck with that line basically for the whole season, and there is definitely some truth to it. Players like Timothy Ighoefe clearly suffered this season without a summer to work on their game in the gym.

The hope is that with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continuing to ramp up as we head into the summer, college teams will be able to have a much more normal offseason, with players being able to remain mostly on campus this summer so they can work with coaches and continue their development. For Georgetown’s young stars in Dante Harris and Qudus Wahab, along with their other young players, that will be the biggest priority for them this summer: getting in the gym, staying in the gym, and getting better.

4. Recruit locally

Georgetown may still be chasing Patrick Baldwin Jr. in the Class of 2021, but it’s time for them to get serious with the Class of 2022. The Hoyas struck gold last summer in August when they reeled in early commitments from Jordan Riley and Jalin Billingsley, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t try to do the same this summer with top talent in the DMV area.

We’ve made no secret about the Hoyas needing to prioritize the two rising seniors at DeMatha, in Tyrell Ward and Rodney Rice, and now that the team is done with its season, the Georgetown coaching staff can resume its fullcourt press of these two elite DMV talents, along with others such as Dug McDaniel, Cam Whitmore, and Darren Buchanan.

5. Dante Harris: Improve as a shooter

While there is something for every Georgetown player to improve on this offseason, we are going to single out Harris and Qudus Wahab, who are this program’s top young talents right now.

Harris had an excellent season overall, despite having a rough patch in the middle of the season, where turnovers were a big issue for him. The COVID pause seemed to do wonders for him, as it did for his teammates as well, and he rebounded to close out the season with an emphatic finish, leading the Hoyas to a Big East title and grabbing the Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player award in the process too.

While the turnover issue settled down in the second half of the season, Harris’ shooting numbers for the season were still pretty ugly, and picking those up next season will be a major factor in Harris making the jump from good to great as a sophomore.

For the season, Harris shot 34.9% from the field and a paltry 26% from three. His effective field goal percentage of 39.4% was 11th on the team, and his true shooting percentage of 43.8% was also 11th.

While Harris was a major part in helping the Hoyas win the Big East Tournament, it was in spite of his shooting. Harris shot 41.5% from the field and 25% from three in Madison Square Garden.

Those are gross numbers, but if he can impact winning for this team at a high level already, it bodes well for him that he can do that despite having a lot of room for improvement with his shot still.

6. Qudus Wahab: Work on lateral movements and passing out of the post

Wahab had a strong season, but still has lots to work on as he heads into his junior season. While he is dominant force in the paint on both offense and defense, Wahab was wrecked by Colorado’s Jabari Walker in Georgetown’s NCAA Tournament game, and it was because of how slow he is on his feet. Wahab is not a heavy guy by any means, but his lateral agility leaves a lot to be desired, and he would do well for himself to focus on improving that area of his game this summer, so he can move better on the perimeter against more mobile centers like Walker.

On offense, Wahab just needs to learn to make more plays with the ball. He gets tunnel vision when he catches the ball with his back to the basket, and he needs to get comfortable with passing out of the post when teams double him. He got slightly better at that to close the season, but there is still work to be done there for him.