Your Georgetown Hoyas may be facing an even steeper offseason climb today with the news that another key contributor intends to depart. Malik Mack, the team’s second-leading scorer and top minutes-earner over the past two seasons, has entered the transfer portal. Mack played two seasons under head coach Ed Cooley on the Hilltop after transferring from Harvard. His departure signifies severe roster turnover for the coming year, for better or worse.
At times, Mack appeared to be an ideal fit at point
guard for the program. Returning home to the DMV after his time at Harvard, the Oxon Hill native looked to prove his talent at a higher level of competition while continuing his education at a university known for its rich academic tradition and prestigious undergraduate degree. Hoyas fans were looking to Mack to be a smart, multi-dimensional lefty floor leader.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Mack was on the Preseason Watch List for the Bob Cousy Award (top 20), which honors the nation’s top point guard. This preseason, he earned conference recognition, securing a spot on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team in 2025.
Mack looked great early this season with 22 points and 5 assists in the exhibition against the Kentucky Wildcats, followed by a decisive 19-point outing in College Park in early November. Along with those victories, his interviews (more) revealed a maturity that had the Georgetown faithful excited for his leadership.
Mack again demonstrated a high level of potential during a productive stretch in late January and early February. He helped the squad secure a three-game winning streak with victories over DePaul and Butler, averaging 15.0 points and a team-best 6.5 assists per game to earn a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.
Mack earned the same honor the following week after averaging 20.5 points against Creighton and Villanova. At that point in the season, he ranked tenth in the conference in scoring with 14.5 points per game and sixth in assists. While he performed well during this stretch, his play tended to mirror Georgetown’s inconsistency.
He finished the 2025-26 campaign ranking 13th in the Big East with 13.6 points per game and seventh with 4.1 assists per game. His high usage was evident in his shot volume. He ranked 15th in the conference with 216 two-point field goal attempts and eighth with 188 three-point attempts.
Roster continuity is generally preferred in college basketball. The combined loss of Mack and KJ Lewis, alongside several players completing their eligibility, gives Cooley and the coaching staff the freedom to build the exact roster they want. Many of the Georgetown faithful have said they have no idea if this was a one-sided decision by Mack or a mutual parting of ways.
On the court, the offense never flowed perfectly with Mack and Lewis playing together. For better or worse, the two guards led the team in turnovers, averaging 2.0 and 2.2 turnovers per game, respectively. Mack provided necessary scoring, but moving on could allow the staff to find guards whose playing styles better complement Ed Cooley’s offensive system.
In another hit to the backcourt depth, Maryland-transfer guard DeShawn Harris-Smith has also entered the portal. The former four-star recruit and Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year out of Paul VI High School arrived on the Hilltop hoping for a fresh start after two seasons in College Park. His time in a Georgetown uniform, however, was surprisingly brief.
Harris-Smith appeared in just six games, averaging 5.2 points, and has not played since the team’s appearance at the ESPN Events Invitational in Disney World over Thanksgiving weekend. He stepped away from the team in December for personal reasons, and this official move to the portal closes the book on what many hoped would be an impactful addition.
Looking ahead, Gabriel Landeira is technically the next man up at the point guard position. The 21-year-old former professional from Brazil joined the program midway through the year and redshirted this spring semester. He will be an intriguing piece for the staff as they reconstruct the backcourt.
Still, the Hoyas will miss Mack at least for logging more minutes in a Georgetown jersey than any other player in the Ed Cooley era.
We wish Malik luck in his future endeavors.
