LINKS: Cooley Talks to Rothstein About His ‘Multidimensional’ Players

“[W]e’ve added some significant pieces that are high caliber players, high character players, and they all possess a high intellect for the game.”

Ed Cooley and your Georgetown Hoyas hosted John Rothstein for a visit as part of his annual national tour. While there, Rothstein spoke with Cooley on the record, and provided some insights from his own observations and discussions with the staff.

If you haven’t read the full interview already, you’re missing out of one of the few glimpses into the program fans have received this offseason.

Ed Cooley said, “We’ve had a year to learn ‘What is Georgetown?’ We’ve had a year to recruit — both through freshmen and the transfer portal — to try and find out what’s a fit and what’s not a fit. I think we’ve added some significant pieces that are high caliber players, high character players, and they all possess a high intellect for the game. They’re multidimensional players. Now, do we have to get out there and prove it? Yes. But I do like the energy I’m seeing at this point in the summer.”

Cooley mentioned two additions specifically in Malik Mack and Micah Peavy, saying, “[Mack] can really score. He can really facilitate. He’s a natural leader and a very talented shooter. He can do it in a lot of different ways, but the biggest thing that he has is his feel — he has an incredible feel. He’s a natural leader and he does it every single day. He instills a lot of confidence in his teammates.”

Regarding Peavy, Cooley said, “[T]here’s not going to be a lot of people in America that can defend multiple positions the way that Micah Peavy (TCU) can. He’s an elite, elite defender that can defend five positions. He’s a multipositional defender and a multipositional offensive player. We’ll play him at the one, the two, the three, and the four. He adds a lot.”

While everyone seems to be looking ahead, the bad taste of last season still isn’t out of anyone’s mouths.

When talking about last season, Cooley said, “[W]e’re cleaning up a lot of things that just weren’t really efficient in the Big East. We had some really good players, but it didn’t work out well. I think you’ve got to flush that. You’ve got to get not just players who want to come to Georgetown, but players that can play for me in the style that we want to play. I think that was the biggest deficiency last year. We just didn’t have the personalities that matched. We had to upgrade our personnel.”

That doesn’t tell the full story of the woes last year (and beyond), but also puts a bit more of the culpability on the past players than this humble lunch blog contributor might expect. Cooley’s teams at Providence were known for physicality and hustle, regardless of talent level.

The implication that the staff needs specific players to play the style he wants—and that the five transfers out were not the requisite style of player—seems troubling. Defensive concerns go way beyond the personnel. Moreover, the chef who buys the groceries doesn’t get to complain about the quality of ingredients.

But perhaps, with this freshman class that the staff identified long ago, the team will find that “style” of player that Cooley needs.

Here are the links:

5 questions with Georgetown’s Ed Cooley | College Hoops Today (Rothstein)

Prior to taking the job, my daughter was a student here and my wife did a lot of research regarding the school. It’s not a regional school, it’s not a national school — it’s a global school. What’s blown me away is the reach of people. The depth of that has been phenomenal and it’s been incredible for our student athletes. We’ve got a ways to go to build a program, but I’d say that’s been the biggest surprise to me.

Top 10 Big East Transfers [2024-25] | BIGEASTBUCKETS.SUBSTACK

Ed Cooley picked up a big transfer in Malik Mack. The 6-1 guard is entering just his second season. Mack averaged 17.2 PPG and 4.8 AST. He was named Ivy League ROTY and his a menace on both sides of the ball. He tallied 1.3 STL per game and can be a problem for opposing guards to move the ball. He played over 33 minutes a game and had 27 PTS on 8-16 shooting against Indiana. I think we all know by now not to take Ivy League competition lightly.

HoyaReport – Summer Practice Notes: 7.16.24 | GEORGETOWN.RIVALS

Georgetown’s summer practices continue to evidence growth, with guys emerging. It’s still really early, yet attending these sessions gives one a measure of just where the team is currently, and where it MAY go. With that in mind, below are excerpts of voices and happenings experienced during the two hour session…

Defensive shell work forcusing on gap, connectiveness, communication: it’s a string connecting you and him

—Cooley defining what ‘on a string means ‘We spread our arms we should be able to cover a lot of ground. Make sure we do that.

—Cooley on setting big defensively If we communicate we will be 5 to 10% better on defense. Just talk. Heck sing. I don’t care if its Luthet Vandross!