WASHINGTON, DC. – The following statement was released today by John Kurkjian, through the student-run media outlet Thompson’s Towel in response to questions about his future career plans:
I’m back.
I know, it’s a lot to process. Between the 6-26 season from our beloved Hoyas and no satirical, laugh-out-loud articles from yours truly, the Georgetown Basketball world didn’t have much to look forward to. While much of the clamoring for systematic change within the program this offseason inevitably came to no avail, one thing is certain for the 2022-2023 season: it can only go up from here. I’ll be with you every step of the way bringing you the hottest and most correct takes ever known to man.
But that’s enough from me, we’ve got an event to cover. Alongside standout LSU transfer Brandon Murray and (sort-of?) newcomer Qudus Wahab, Patrick Ewing made the trip up to Madison Square Garden for the annual Big East Media Day on Tuesday. Here’s what we learned:
The Jay Heath Situation
So, this will be interesting, to say the least. With the opener just a few weeks away and many expecting Heath to contend for a spot in the starting backcourt, the Hoyas could seemingly be without one of their top players this season. But when I asked Ewing about the status, all I got was “No update.” With nobody knowing what the hold-up is or if his waiver was denied, and the program keeping information close to the vest, his status is a huge factor in determining this squad’s ceiling.
Simply Put: This Team is Different
No, I’m not using that word colloquially like the kids these days – they’re literally different. Only Dante Harris, Ryan Mutombo, and Jordan Riley return from last season’s roster, but to be honest, is that really a bad thing? If you go winless in Big East play, is there anyone that can be considered so valuable that you need them to stay? Aminu Mohammed was stellar in his lone season on the Hilltop and I personally would love to see him crack an NBA roster, but to be honest, I’m not all that upset with our new Agent Zero.
With 9 new players on the roster for the upcoming season, there’s a chance the Hoyas have an entirely different starting 5 from last year’s opener. (No, I won’t discuss what occurred on that fateful night, it took me long enough to mentally recover.)
Ewing spoke at length on a number of this year’s newcomers, most notably in-conference transfer Akok Akok, who left Danny Hurley’s UConn Huskies and is projected to be Georgetown’s starting 4 this season. “Akok has been doing an outstanding job. He’s been working extremely hard, he’s very coachable,” Ewing said. “He’s another one that I expect great things out of. His talent, his ability to block shots, his ability to shoot, and just his effort, his effort has been over the top for us.”
Akok, alongside Heath, Murray, Wahab, and Duquesne transfer Primo Spears will all look to make valuable impacts for the Hoyas this season. Ewing commented on the class as a whole when he said, “I think that the guys that we brought in, including these two guys {Murray and Wahab} right here, are very talented. They’re poised, and at the end of the day we’re going to show everybody where we belong.”
Preseason Poll
Started from the (almost) bottom and now we’re here? I don’t know if that quite rolls off the tongue the same way, but hey, they’re not last! After two straight seasons of being picked to finish dead last, Georgetown is moving on up this season, as the Hoyas were picked to finish 10th in the 2022-2023 Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll, ahead of only Tony Stubblefield’s DePaul Blue Demons. Who would’ve seen that one coming? Regardless, Coach Ewing took every opportunity to keep the famous Drake lyric a staple of his vocabulary, and I really don’t mind.
Meanwhile, for the first time since joining the conference, Creighton took home the top spot in the poll. The Bluejays are led by Preseason First-Team selection Ryan Kalkbrenner and one of the nation’s top transfers in Baylor Scheierman, who helped guide South Dakota State to an NCAA Tournament bid last season before falling to Providence. Another surprise of the poll was Villanova being ranked third behind Sean Miller’s Xavier Musketeers.
Qudus Wahab Does NOT Have A Favorite Christmas Carol
This isn’t news, but it’s October 18 and somebody asked him if he had one. Firstly, he didn’t. More importantly, get it together, it’s not even Halloween yet for Pete’s sake. Just a friendly reminder that while you’re enjoying my version of Big J Journalism, I’m out here slumming it with a bunch of rookies. In the words of Terry Hoitz, “I’m a peacock, you gotta let me fly!”
While Media Day isn’t the juiciest news story of the season, it’s a good time for us to get a sense of where the Hoyas stand. With a ton of roster and coaching staff turnover in the off-season, it’s difficult to confidently project a ceiling and floor for Patrick Ewing’s sixth season at the helm. What I can confidently say is that this season will be fun.
As a reminder, this year’s opener is on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, against Coppin State with an 8:30 pm tip at Capital One Arena. Tickets to the game are free for ALL FANS, and you can request them right here.
Lastly, I’d like to thank PhillyHoyas for helping me get to Media Day. I had a blast and it really got me amped up for the season, even if expectations are at an all-time low.
