K-NICK: Nickelberry Hiring Draws Positive Attention for Georgetown

Hoyas made a splash, what’s next?

The Georgetown Hoyas made a splash in the basketball world by hiring Kevin Nickelberry, formerly of LSU and Howard. Nickelberry is hired as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, per Georgetown’s updated website.

There is a small quantity of hope alive right now for Hoyas fans due to the potential for Nickelberry to bring one or more transfers from LSU.

The question now is roster size and whether any much-loved Hoyas will be departing. There unfortunately needs to be some movement in order to infuse talent. No one is encouraging anyone to leave, but—with a presumed May-1st deadline for one-time transfer automatic waivers—time is of the essence for all parties.

The transfer portal seems to be moving a bit more slowly this year than last. We’ll see what Nickelberry can do.

Here is the GUHoyas press release:

Ewing Adds Assistant Coach Kevin Nickelberry to His Staff

WASHINGTON – Georgetown University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Patrick Ewing announced the addition of Kevin Nickelberry to his staff on Thursday. A proven talent evaluator, Nickelberry will serve as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Blue & Gray. With more than 25 years of experience in Division I men’s basketball, Nickelberry has worked in all facets of a collegiate program with responsibilities ranging from player development and pregame scouting to in-game coaching and game management as well as previously serving as a head coach.

ON THE RECORD

“I’m excited about coming back home – I grew up in DC and I, like so many others, was a Georgetown fan. I am ready to hit the ground running and help Coach Ewing achieve his goals of restoring Georgetown Basketball to national prominence. The DC area has always been good to me and my career and I am excited to be able to recruit locally as well as nationally because Georgetown is, and always will be, a national brand.” – Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator Kevin Nickelberry

“I am happy to announce the addition of Kevin Nickelberry to my staff at Georgetown. I have confidence that he will have an immediate impact in his role as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He has strong local and national ties and has showcased his ability to bring in top-level talent.” – Head Coach Patrick Ewing

NICKELBERRY’S ROAD TO THE HILLTOP

• Nickelberry comes to Georgetown following a three-year stint at LSU where he served primarily as an assistant coach and was the director of recruiting for the Tigers.
• Prior to LSU, Nickelberry served as the head coach at Howard University (2010-19), Hampton (2006-09) and with the Columbia Union women’s team (1991-94) and was an assistant coach at Howard, Monmouth, Holy Cross, Charlotte and Clemson before being named head coach at Hampton.
• In 2009, Nickelberry took on the role as the head coach of the Libya Men’s National Basketball team. During the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship, Libya won more games in international play than any other season prior and since.

PROVEN TALENT EVALUATOR

• The DC native was responsible for bringing a wealth of talent to Baton Rouge as his efforts contributed to a trio of top 10 classes in as many seasons at LSU (2020 – 5th; 2021 – 6th; 2022 – 9th).
• Nickelberry was the lead recruiter for the 2021 class that saw LSU bring in a five-star center and a duo of four-star guards to go along with another pair of four stars and a three-star signee.
• In his three years with the Tigers, LSU advanced to the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournaments (2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and achieved 20 wins in two of his three years.
• While at Howard, he was known as a program builder, recruiting and coaching three players who made the Top 50 All-Time MEAC team. When he left Howard, he was second all-time in wins and had guided the Bison back to postseason play for the first time since 1992 with a spot in the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
• In his coaching career, he has been a part of preparing players who have earned nearly 25 rookie / newcomer / player of the year honors as well as coaching more than 30 all-conference players.

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

• In March 2022, Nickelberry was named to the Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) 2022 Men’s Basketball Assistant Coaches Watch List for his efforts at LSU.
• During his stint at Hampton, he was named among the top 25 “Up-and-Coming” coaches by Sporting News (2008). His tenure at Hampton saw him turn the team’s scoring defense from 168 in Division I to 12th in the NCAA by the end of his third year.
• During his various tenures as an assistant coach, he was named by Basketball Times, The Hoop Scoop and Rivals.com as one of the top assistants in the country and has worked in many areas including recruiting, fundraising, marketing and public relations.

NICKELBERRY COMES HOME TO THE DISTRICT

• Nickelberry was born in Washington, D.C., went to Central High School (Capitol Heights, Maryland) and played at Virginia Wesleyan University where he graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.
• Prior to beginning his coaching career, Nickelberry was involved in many successful entrepreneurial ventures. He was the president of two public relations firms and founded an at-risk youth non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area.
• Nickelberry and his wife, Felicia, are the parents of three sons – Carter, Kyan and Kelby.

NICKELBERRY’S COLLEGIATE & INTERNATIONAL COACHING EXPERIENCE

• 1991-92: Assistant Coach, Columbia Union
• 1991-94: Head Women’s Coach, Columbia Union
• 1995-98: Assistant Coach, Howard
• 1998-99: Assistant Coach, Monmouth
• 1999-01: Assistant Coach, Holy Cross
• 2001-03: Assistant Coach, Charlotte
• 2003-06: Assistant Coach, Clemson
• 2006-09: Head Coach, Hampton
• 2009: Head Coach, Libya National Team
• 2009-10: Assistant Coach, DePaul
• 2010-19: Head Coach, Howard
• 2019-20: Assistant to the HC, LSU
• 2020-22: Assistant Coach, LSU
• 2022: Interim Head Coach, LSU
• 2022-pres.: Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator, Georgetown

Here are some links:

Former LSU assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry returns home to fill spot on Georgetown staff | The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

Nickelberry, who served as LSU’s interim head coach in the NCAA tournament last week after Will Wade was fired, was named assistant coach and recruiting coordinator by Ewing on Thursday — three days after Matt McMahon was hired to replace Wade.

Nickelberry spent the past two seasons as a bench coach and recruiting coordinator for Wade after spending one year as an assistant to the Tigers’ head coach.

Georgetown hires former Howard coach Kevin Nickelberry as assistant | Washington Post

Nickelberry is the only staff change that has been announced, though assistants Robert Kirby and Akbar Waheed are no longer listed online with the rest of the staff.

While at LSU, Nickelberry contributed to putting together top 10 recruiting classes in the last two seasons.

Georgetown’s 2022 class is No. 49 in the country, according to recruiting site 247Sports. Ewing’s top-ranked class came in 2021 at No. 16 and was the only time he constructed a class ranked in the top 30.

“I have confidence that he will have an immediate impact in his role as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator,” Coach Patrick Ewing said in the statement. “He has strong local and national ties and has showcased his ability to bring in top-level talent.”

Georgetown adds former LSU coach Kevin Nickelberry, and some key transfers may follow | Zagsblog

With the former LSU director of recruiting and interim head coach joining Patrick Ewing’s staff, LSU is expected to be heavily in the mix should Alex Fudge, Brandon Murray and Efton Reid transfer from LSU, sources confirmed.

The 6-foot-8 Fudge averaged 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds this season.

The 6-5 Murray averaged 10.0 points and 3.0 rebounds.

And the 6-11 Reid averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.

“I’m excited about coming back home – I grew up in DC and I, like so many others, was a Georgetown fan,” Nickelberry said. “I am ready to hit the ground running and help Coach Ewing achieve his goals of restoring Georgetown Basketball to national prominence. The DC area has always been good to me and my career and I am excited to be able to recruit locally as well as nationally because Georgetown is, and always will be, a national brand.”

Georgetown May Stand To Immediately Benefit From Hire Of Assistant Kevin Nickelberry With LSU Transfers | DC Sports King

Murray is a 6-foot-5 guard and former Top-100 recruit. He averaged 10.0 points and 1.9 assists in 33 games as a freshman. He’s also a Baltimore native, who attended IMG Academy.

Reid is a 6-foot-11 center. He was ranked as the 27th top recruit nationally in the class of 2021. This season he averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 34 games as a freshman.

Fudge is a combo forward standing at 6-foot-6. He was a top-100 recruit in 2020 but redshirted during the 2020-21 season. This season, he played in 29 games and averaged 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds.

In all three cases, the coaching change certainly played a huge role in their pending transfers. They’ll be looking for a new college home to get expanded roles on the court.

LSU basketball guards Xavier Pinson, Brandon Murray enter transfer portal | Daily Advertiser

LSU basketball starting guards Xavier Pinson and Brandon Murray are entering the transfer porta,l and assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry has been hired as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgetown.

Pinson posted his decision on Instagram. 247Sports first reported Murray’s move to the portal. And Georgetown made Nickelberry’s hiring official Thursday night.

Nickelberry was LSU’s interim coach after coach Will Wade was fired on the Saturday before Selection Sunday, just days after LSU was handed a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA.

Recruiting tracker courtesy of LCPolo18