In case you missed the news, your Georgetown Hoyas secured a commitment from former DePaul big, NJ Benson. A 6-foot-8, 235-pound post-graduate from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Benson was recently made eligible by federal court order and is forgoing a professional opportunity abroad to play with Ed Cooley and the Hoyas. “Benson” was a name Georgetown fans heard quite often over the past two years with key rebounds and put-backs against GU. He is a physical presence with great conference experience as a forward and center.
Hoyas fans should be excited as adding NJ Benson shows that Cooley can still identify talent and compete in the transfer market. This late-offseason fortification for the roster sends a message that is much louder than a mid-summer press conference. It might be time to start thinking of this roster as “intriguing” or something more.
The news of Benson’s addition, reported first by On3.com, materialized from an unexpected set of circumstances. On July 31, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver granted a preliminary injunction that allows all Division I athletes who began competing in the 2022-23 season to receive a fifth year of eligibility. The NCAA had planned for a new five-year eligibility model to begin with the fall 2027 enrolling class, but the court ruling undercut this timeline, applying the standard retroactively to the high school class of 2022.
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NCAA President Charlie Baker publicly stated that the ruling brings chaos to college sports and rosters across the country, referencing an effort in Congress to provide the NCAA antitrust protection on eligibility issues. A separate ruling in Tennessee applied to 19 specific basketball players, but the Colorado decision cast a much wider net. It meant all Division I players from that cycle gained another year of collegiate action.
For Ed Cooley and his staff, this administrative disruption proved advantageous. Benson opted to return to the college ranks and the Big East conference, utilizing his newly granted fifth year of eligibility to play in Washington, D.C.
Benson brings two years of direct experience competing in the same league, supplying a known commodity to a roster that requires stability. Benson arrives following a highly productive, high-volume season in Chicago under former coach Chris Holtmann. Starting 31 of 32 games for the Blue Demons last year, he averaged career highs of 11.7 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds per contest.
His interior efficiency stands out in the box scores. Benson shot 63.6 percent from the field. According to DePaul, he led the entire nation in regular-season dunks last year with 77. He scored in double figures 19 times and recorded five double-doubles, proving capable of sustaining his production against difficult competition.
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In a late-season matchup against Butler, he posted a 24-point, 10-rebound performance that included three blocks and two steals. Benson registered his career-high of 26 points (11-15 FG) against Arkansas Pine Bluff in December.
Georgetown fans might recall his specific impact. In the January 6th meeting, Benson secured 16 rebounds against the Hoyas, tying a DePaul program record for rebounds in a Big East game, along with nine points, four assists, and three blocks. He matched that 16-rebound output again later in the season during a road victory at Marquette.
During his junior season, he went 5-of-6 from the floor against Georgetown in a road win, adding seven rebounds and four blocks. He then closed out his junior campaign by going 7-of-8 from the floor against the Hoyas in the Big East Tournament, setting a program record for field goal percentage in a conference tournament game.
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Come to think of it, part of the impetus for this signing feels like Cooley did not want Benson back in Chicago.
Benson was a standout at Mt. Vernon Township High School, where he was ranked the number seven prospect in Illinois and earned All-State honors after averaging 21.9 points and nearly 11 rebounds per game as a senior. He began his college career at Missouri State, where he averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in limited minutes as a true freshman before stepping into a starting role as a sophomore.
Benson completed his college eligibility this past spring and signed a professional contract in July to play for Kolossos Rodou in the Greek Basketball League. The Mediterranean club, based in Rhodes, had formally announced him as their newest member, and his collegiate basketball prospects appeared finished. A sudden legal development dramatically shifted his trajectory and kept him in the United States.
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This addition for Cooley addresses a clear positional need. The Georgetown frontcourt experienced turnover this offseason, and the coaching staff has been working to retool the depth chart. Bringing in a player who has appeared in 119 collegiate games provides immediate defensive anchoring and rebounding experience.
This current offseason represents a critical period for Cooley, and this addition moves Georgetown into the “intriguing” box of college basketball. Perhaps there’s more to come.
Benson joins the Hoyas as their sixth transfer portal addition this offseason, joining Kentucky guard Jaland Lowe, Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson, Charleston center Chol Machot, Florida Atlantic forward Josiah Parker, and Oklahoma State guard Vyctorius Miller—this humble lunch blog indeed has some catching up to do.
Cooley’s strategy with this late-summer addition signals a focus on toughness and rebounding, two areas where the team has faced challenges during his tenure. Acquiring a healthy, consistent player with an established Big East track record minimizes the risk associated with translating talent from lower-tier conferences or high school ranks. Benson knows the teams, arenas, the officiating, and the physical demands of the league. Even as a 4th-yeah, he brought a level of physical maturity that lower-level transfers often lack upon arrival.
Georgetown must generate momentum heading into the fall. The GU fan base evaluates each move with a mix of hope and caution. Adding a player like Benson is a pragmatic, sensible step toward fortifying the rotation. Hopefully there is at least one more move to be made.
For now, Benson brings maturity, a high-percentage shooting touch around the basket, and a proven ability to collect rebounds in traffic. He offers a specific skill set that translates directly to the demands of Big East basketball. The upcoming months will reveal if this veteran presence can help catalyze the turnaround the program and its supporters seek.
Welcome, NJ! HOYA SAXA!
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Mar 12, 2025; New York, NY, USA; DePaul Blue Demons forward NJ Benson (35) dunks the ball against Georgetown Hoyas during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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