4-Star Point Guard Marvel Allen Commits to Georgetown

Kevin Nickelberry proved his recruiting chops once again, reeling in one of the top point guards in the Class of 2023.

Marvel Allen, a 6-foot-4 point guard ranked 27th overall in the Class of 2023 according to 247Sports, committed to Georgetown on Saturday afternoon. The announcement came as a surprise to many, considering Allen had just released his top six list of schools only one day prior to his commitment. The final six schools that Allen was considering were Georgetown, Michigan, Kansas, LSU, Texas A&M, and Arizona State.

Allen’s commitment to Georgetown gives the Hoyas their first commit for the Class of 2023, in what should be a fairly small recruiting class this cycle for Georgetown. With Allen in the fold, the Hoyas can focus their recruiting efforts on bringing in a top-flight center who can be the focal point of their frontcourt for years to come.

In an interview with Joe Tipton of On3 Sports, Allen had the following to say about committing to Georgetown.

“I committed to Georgetown mainly on relationships,” Allen said. “Georgetown called me every single day, came to every single game, and communicated with my family every day. Through my adversity, Coach Pat and Coach Nickelberry were there to encourage me and let me know what I’m capable of and that they’re in my corner no matter what. I want to go somewhere where I feel comfortable and play under coaches who I can trust. This is why Georgetown is my choice.”

“Coach Patrick Ewing played at the highest level and knows what it takes and also has the connections,” Allen said in a previous interview with On3. “I also have a great relationship with Coach Nickelberry who recruited me at LSU.”

Allen’s relationship with Kevin Nickelberry was far and away the separating factor for Georgetown in this race. Nickelberry, who came over from LSU, has once again shown his ability to recruit top-flight talent, and has proven that he can continue to attract elite talent no matter what school he is at.

Landing both Brandon Murray, via the transfer portal, and now Allen, is an impressive accomplishment for Nickelberry, who holds the title of both assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Georgetown. The Hoyas have now upgraded their roster for the coming season, and also begun to assemble their roster for the future, with Allen headlining the 2023 class.

If Brandon Murray— who has looked excellent in Kenner League so far— were to stay for two seasons at Georgetown, a team with Allen and Murray both in the backcourt would look extremely promising in 2023-24.

Allen will be finishing his high school career this year at Montverde Academy in Florida, one of the top prep high schools in the nation— if not the best. It will be fun to see his development this season as he competes against some of the best high school programs in the country.

With Allen in the fold and roster spots limited, Georgetown will look to bring in an elite big man next. Stay tuned.