Step aside ‘Mackinjo,’ fellow freshman Josh LeBlanc may well be distinguishing himself as the most dynamic young talent the Hilltop has seen in years. LeBlanc may not dazzle crowds with the deft handles of Akinjo, or late game heroics of McClung, but one would be hard-pressed to find a freshman big man in the Big East, and perhaps the country, with LeBlanc’s ability to compete on both ends of the floor. With a seven-foot wingspan, the Baton Rouge product relies on superior length, athleticism and uncanny instincts to make the most of his 6-foot-7 inch frame. Combine this with a consistently high energy level and you have an imposing force that can block shots, rebound, and even occasionally rise-up for one of his signature put-black slams.
JOSH. LEBLANC. 😳@23eraJosh with the putback slam! @GeorgetownHoops | #BIGEASThoops pic.twitter.com/By6PejvjB5
— #BIGEASThoops (@BIGEASTMBB) November 14, 2018
But LeBlanc’s impact extends far beyond being an “energy-guy” who occasionally brings the crowd to their feet with a thunderous dunk; the lanky freshman has made his mark on the stat sheet as well. His 9.2 points per game may not jump off the page, but given a field-goal percentage of 66%, LeBlanc’s efficiency is far more intriguing for Hoya fans. In just 19 games this year (including 8 starts), Josh LeBlanc has already recorded four double-doubles on the year (most recently vs. St. John’s). The only Georgetown freshmen to eclipse this mark in their freshman year since 2000 were Michael Sweetney and Jeff Green, both Georgetown standouts, and top-10 picks in the NBA Draft. It may be early in LeBlanc’s career, but it is not difficult to envision him as the next in line of dominant Georgetown forwards.
Perhaps the only limitation on LeBlanc’s ceiling is a shaky jump shot. To date, he has attempted only two three-pointers, making one, and has not shown much in the department of a mid-range jumper either. To be fair, LeBlanc is shooting a respectable 65% from the free throw line, hinting at some promise for development in the future. Given he is only a freshman, plenty of time remains for LeBlanc to work on adding this dimension to his game. Should LeBlanc’s shot develop to a point that defenses feel the need to guard him tightly on the perimeter, he would be a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses.
An already physical-threat on the inside, Josh could benefit from adding the threat of an outside jumper to his game.
At any rate, the development of Georgetown’s newest high-flying forward should be one of Coach Patrick Ewing’s primary objectives. The Hoya faithful lauded Ewing’s decision to give LeBlanc his first start of the season in mid-December and remain in the starting lineup when Trey Mourning returned from a concussion against Marquette. It may have seemed obvious to give LeBlanc the nod, for he eclipsed Mourning in nearly every statistical category in addition to passing the eye test, yet Ewing’s nightly rotation decisions confound even the most educated analysts. This was never clearer than this past Monday against Creighton, when both LeBlanc and McClung found themselves sitting on the bench for much of the second half despite both getting off to hot starts. Overall, LeBlanc’s 19 minutes against Creighton matched the same number the week before against Marquette, both sharply down from the extended minutes he enjoyed early in Big East play. Although the last few outings leading up to the Creighton game had been relatively quiet nights offensively for LeBlanc, there was no good reason why his defensive presence was not called upon late in a scenario in which a struggling Hoyas defense desperately needed a stop.
If we take a step back, the loss against Creighton all but eliminates the Hoya’s hopes of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. With this in mind, Ewing’s focus should be on putting his team in the best possible position to make a run in the Big East Tournament. Josh LeBlanc is the heartbeat of Georgetown’s interior defense, and one of the few Hoyas able to guard an inside-outside threat that can single-handedly take over a game (looking at you, Sam Hauser).
Shouldn’t Ewing’s young forward be given the looks, and minutes, necessary to get comfortable against Big East competition before it’s win or go home? It’s entirely possible that the last two games have been an anomaly, and that LeBlanc will return to a featured place in the Hoya’s rotation against St. John’s, but if not, Ewing should be ready to justify his decision. The 2018-19 season may very well be another lost year for Georgetown, but Josh LeBlanc is more than capable of creating a winning culture on the Hilltop if the coaching staff is willing to invest in the future.
This is the best written article I have ever read.