Ed Cooley and Georgetown received a very late addition to its 2024-25 roster when NBA Global Academy big man Julius Halaifonua committed to the Hoyas on Monday. 247Sports.
The seven-foot New Zealand native received high major interest from Kentucky, California, Xavier, Ohio State, and North Carolina, among many others.
“After a long relationship with Georgetown and a great visit these past few days, I’ve decided that it’s the fit for me and I have Committed to Georgetown University,” the four-star big man told 247Sports.
Originally a member of the 2025 recruiting class, Halaifonua pivoted and reclassified shortly after competing in the NBA Academy Games where he drew heavy interest from some of te top college programs in the country following the event.
“Over the course of the last year I’ve developed a great connection with Coach Cooley and [Brian] Blaney. I believe in what is being built at Georgetown and believe there is an opportunity to contribute to the program’s success in my first year,” Halaifonua said.
“I had a great visit to campus and was able to see firsthand all of the resources in place at Georgetown for a successful program,” Halaifonua added. “My future teammates were welcoming and they all share a common goal to improve. Also, I feel I can achieve and grow as a person and as a student at Georgetown as it is a world-class academic institution. I’m excited and look forward to getting on campus officially.”
Halaifonua is a highly skilled and smart big man who has a big and burly frame that clears space around the rim. He has great hands, touch, and is mobile for his size.
Halaifonua brings value in his utility as a screener and area rebounder. The depth of his game allows him to score on the block and with floaters when rolling to the rim. Halaifonua also has upside as a floor-stretch and is an impressive passer for a big man.
At the NBA Academy Games in July, Halaifonua averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 59.2% from two. He was 7-of-8 from three.
At Georgetown, Halaifonua joins Thomas Sorber, Kayvan Mulready, and Caleb Williams in the 2024 freshman class and will join the roster with incoming transfers Jordan Burks, Curtis Williams Jr., Malik Mack, and Micah Peavy.
Halaifonua projects as a four-star recruit.
This article originates on ScoutHoops.com.
Field of 68 assigns offseason grade for first-year coach Mark Pope
How did the new Kentucky coach fare in his first offseason?
Chris Fisher
The Field of 68 has handed out its offseason grades, so how did new head coach Mark Pope fare in his first offseason at Kentucky?
Rob Dauster gave Pope a B- while Jeff Goodman handed down a B+.
Since being officially tabbed to replace John Calipari on April 12 and drawing over 20,000 people to his introductory press conference at Rupp Arena, Pope has enjoyed a remarkable first four months on the job.
Pope hired a staff that features associate head coach Alvin Brooks III from Baylor, former USC assistant Jason Hart of the G League Ignite, former BYU assistant Cody Fueger, former Nevada and Georgia head coach Mark Fox, and former Lamar assistant Mikhail McLean. Pope also brought on BYU assistant Nick Robinson on as his director of basketball operations
After losing all 13 scholarship players from last season’s roster to graduation, the NBA Draft or the transfer portal, Pope’s inaugural 9-man transfer class is currently ranked No. 4 nationally by 247Sports and features No. 23 Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), No. 34 Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), No. 36 Jaxson Robinson, No. 48 Lamont Butler (San Diego State), No. 71 Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), No. 88 Amari Williams (Drexel), No. 91 Koby Brea (Dayton), No. 126 Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), and No. 319 Ansley Almonor (Fairleigh Dickinson).
“We have one assignment and that’s to get No. 9. Everywhere I turn I see the No. 9. That’s all I see,” Pope said. “So, we’re pretty obsessed with that and we’re going to chase it with everything we have. That’s the standard here.”
In addition, Pope has also signed former BYU signee Collin Chandler, who is coming off a 2-year Mormon mission, Kentucky Mr. Basketball, the state’s all-time leading scorer and 4-star guard Travis Perry from state champion Lyon County, as well as Harlan County 4-star and former South Carolina signee Trent Noah to bring the Wildcats’ number of scholarship players to 12.
“The 13th scholarship is a floating piece,” Pope said. “It could be a place for a young player. It could be a place for a senior player who is going to take a redshirt year. It could be a place for a project. It could be a place for a high-risk guy.”
Kentucky’s 2024-25 non-conference schedule includes Duke at the Champions Classic in Atlanta, at Clemson in the ACC-SEC Challenge, Gonzaga in Seattle, Louisville at Rupp Arena, and Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden.
In the SEC, the Wildcats will have home games against Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, South Carolina and Texas A&M and road games at Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
Kentucky is ranked No. 23 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 25 and No. 23 in Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings for the 2024-25 season. Torvik projects the Wildcats to finish the regular season at 20-11 overall and 10-8 in the SEC in Pope’s first season in Lexington.
The latest ESPN Bracketology NCAA Tournament projection has UK as a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region (Indianapolis), opening NCAA Tournament play vs. No. 11 Dayton in Denver.