IN-VINCE-ABLE: 7-Foot Transfer Vincent Iwuchukwu Commits to Georgetown

Hoyas add the former USC and St. John’s big man!

Ed Cooley and your Georgetown Hoyas have landed a significant commitment from the transfer portal: Vincent Iwuchukwu, a 7-foot-1 center who previously played for St. John’s and USC. This addition is a major step for the front court, bringing in a player with great size, high potential, and solid experience against high-level competition.

There is no denying that Georgetown needed center depth last season and addressing the frontcourt had to be a priority this spring—especially with the potential for at least one more big roster change this offseason—e.g., Thomas Sorber’s NBA decision looming, Julius Halaifonua coming back from a December ankle surgery. Even with just no news since the portal additions and Jayden Epps’ departure,

Iwuchukwu’s commitment couldn’t come at a better time.

Iwuchukwu (pronounced “EE-woo-CHEWK-woo”), who was listed as 7’1” and 250 lbs. on St. John’s 2024-25 roster, will likely be a senior for the 2025-26 season. He is a native of Imo State, Nigeria, born in Manheim, Germany.

Iwuchukwu was initially a highly-touted recruit, ranked as the No. 30 overall prospect and the No. 4 center in the 2022 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He played high school basketball at Southern California Academy, and was part of USC’s No. 7 ranked recruiting class in 2022. He was also ranked No. 16 by Rivals.com and earned a consensus top 15 national recruit standing from all major scouting services. Before college, he spent time with Montverde Academy in Florida in 2022 and played for La Lumiere in Indiana.

However, Iwuchukwu’s collegiate career got off to a challenging start. Before his freshman season at USC, in the summer of 2022, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during an offseason team workout. This serious health event caused him to miss the first 16 games of the 2022-23 season. He finally made his college debut in January 2023 against Colorado.

During his freshman year at USC (2022-23), he averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14 games, making five starts. He showed flashes of his potential, including a career-best performance with 19 points and seven rebounds at Oregon State, shooting a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Unfortunately, his season was cut short again, as he missed the final four games due to a sore back and underwent a lumbar discectomy.

USC coach Andy Enfield acknowledged that losing Iwuchukwu for half the year due to injuries was “challenging.” He felt that having Iwuchukwu’s height, 7’4” wingspan, and athleticism would have significantly helped their rim protection and length, potentially changing their fate in the NCAA Tournament that year.

At St. John’s during the 2024-25 season, Iwuchukwu averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds over 7.1 minutes per game. He played in 34 games, making one start. He was primarily a backup to Zuby Ejiofor.

Despite the limited playing time, Rick Pitino publicly expressed his expectation that Iwuchukwu, along with other young bigs Ruben Prey and Lefteris Liotopoulos, would make great strides in their second season even saying “Vince is going to get a lot better with ball handling on the perimeter and a little bit with his passing.” Big East fans thought there might be a logjam in the Red Storm’s frontcourt.

Still, before entering the portal on April 22, 2025, just hours before the deadline, there was a report that Iwuchukwu would transfer, but he refuted it on social media, stating he was “not leaving” St. John’s. This, his decision to enter the portal came as a surprise to some. Despite Iwuchukwu’s limited role, he did help St. John’s recruit Stanford transfer Oziyah Sellers, who was his teammate at USC and in high school.

For Hoyas fans, this commitment is about adding crucial depth and potential in the frontcourt. Last season, center depth was definitely an area of concern, and it’s going to be key for the upcoming year. With Thomas Sorber declaring for the NBA Draft while keeping his college eligibility open, and needing to recover from foot surgery, his return is to campus is uncertain but Hoyas fans remain optimistic. Georgetown’s current 7-footer, Julius Halaifonua, is coming off injury so he is also a question mark for now.

Adding Vince Iwuchukwu gives GU a player with the physical tools they need – he’s 7’1”, 250 lbs, with that great wingspan. He also brings the talent pedigree that made him a highly-rated recruit. His career averages show he can contribute when he gets opportunities.

Many Bog East (Providence) fans might point to Iwuchukwu’s health and injury history and the fact that he hasn’t consistently played heavy minutes or put up big stats throughout his college career so far, particularly last season at St. John’s.

However, this is a new chapter at Georgetown. It gives Iwuchukwua chance for a fresh start and potentially more consistent playing time to show the talent that made him a top prospect in the first place. He has remaining collegiate eligibility and is expected to be a senior for the 2025-26 season. His size, potential on defense, and flashes on offense could be a real asset. It looks like the coaching staff is actively using the portal to bring in guys with talent who can help boost the team.

Adding Vince Iwuchukwu provides a high-upside player in the paint with something to prove. Fans will keep their fingers crossed he can stay healthy and find his best form here on the Hilltop.

Welcome to Georgetown, Vince! Hoya Saxa!