Patrick Ewing's five highest-ranked recruits at Georgetown
Patrick Ewing’s six-season run as Georgetown's head coach came to a close on Thursday, when the school announced it would move on from the Hoyas legend. Ewing’s run as the team’s leader was a rocky one to say the least, as he amassed a 75-109 record and just one NCAA Tournament appearance.
Below, Rivals examines the five highest-ranked recruits of the Ewing era and has a look at how each panned out.
RELATED: Georgetown fires Ewing after six seasons
*****
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 80
Transfer Portal: Latest news
*****
YEAR: 2020
RANK: No. 20
HOW IT WORKED OUT: The era’s lone McDonald’s All-American, Mohammed chose Georgetown over finalists Indiana, DePaul, Georgia and Kansas State. It’s hard to classify Mohammed as anything but a success for the Hoyas, as he led the team in scoring and rebounding during his one year on campus. Ewing’s highest-rated commit declared for the NBA Draft following his freshman season, but he was not selected. He currently plays for the Delaware Blue Coats in the NBA’s G League.
*****
YEAR: 2018
RANK: No. 71
HOW IT WORKED OUT: Akinjo was originally headed to UConn, but he flipped his pledge to Ewing and company following Kevin Ollie’s dismissal in Storrs. It didn’t take Akinjo long to get rolling for the Hoyas, however, as he averaged 13 points and five assists per game in his first season before being named Big East Freshman of the Year. The four-star prospect would never play for Ewing again, however, as he hit the transfer market following the season and landed at Arizona. Akinjo currently plays for the Westchester Knicks in the NBA’s G League.
*****
YEAR: 2017
RANK: No. 81
HOW IT WORKED OUT: A D.C.-area product, Pickett originally signed with Ole Miss but was granted a release from his letter of intent and landed at Georgetown shortly thereafter. He was an immediate contributor upon his arrival on campus but really hit his stride as a junior. That year, he helped Ewing capture the only NCAA Tournament berth of the coach's tenure by averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds per contest. As a senior, the four-star prospect was a team leader and averaged nearly 13 points and seven rebounds. He currently plays for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League.
*****
YEAR: 2018
RANK: No. 93
HOW IT WORKED OUT: LeBalnc chose the Hoyas over LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M, and things started well for him under Ewing. The Baton Rouge product earned Big East All-Freshman Team Honors, but bolted for LSU prior to his junior season. He averaged 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in his two seasons under Ewing. He played his senior season at UAB and finished his career after the 2021-22 season having never replicated the success or promise of his freshman year at Georgetown.
*****
YEAR: 2020
RANK: 109
HOW IT WORKED OUT: The son of Georgetown legend Dikembe Mutombo, Ryan Mutumbo was always seen as a Hoya lean and committed to the program in October of 2020 and saw a decent amount of action as a freshman. He appeared in 27 games, averaging 5.5 PPG and ranking second on the team in blocked shots. This season saw his playing time decrease, but he still managed to appear in 13 games and average 2.5 points per contest. A decision on what he may do next season has not been officially announced.