What Chol Machot Brings to Georgetown’s Frontcourt
The Hoyas are smaller in the frontcourt and will need the CAA DPOY to produce this season.
The biggest question mark facing Georgetown heading into the 2026-27 season centers around its frontcourt — more specifically, will the Hoyas will have enough size to hold up in the Big East?
The center spot was a strength for Georgetown a season ago, as they got more production out of Vince Iwuchukwu and Julius Halaifonua than most expected. Iwuchukwu emerged as a strong defensive presence in the paint, while Halaifonua provided post scoring.
Halaifonua originally announced he would return to Georgetown for a third season before changing course and heading to Oklahoma State. The Hoyas pivoted to Chol Machot, a seven-foot transfer from Charleston, and he’ll need to make a strong transition from the CAA to the Big East for the Hoyas this season.
As things currently stand, Machot figures to be slotted into the starting center spot, and he’ll be backed up by Seal Diouf, a redshirt sophomore who played sparingly last season.
The four spot will be manned by a productive, physical forward in 6’7 rising sophomore Josiah Parker — the type of hybrid forward Cooley had in Alpha Diallo and Rodney Bullock at Providence.
In an era in which everyone is going big, the Hoyas will be smaller outside of Machot — and he was listed at 190 pounds by Charleston last season.
In Machot, Georgetown adds one of the best shot blockers in the country from a season ago. Playing for former Xavier coach Chris Mack, Machot blocked 2.5 shots per game, earning CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors.
He enjoyed six games of 5+ blocks, including a season high of seven in a 15-point, 15-rebound, 7-block effort versus Elon.
In terms of a Big East comparison, think of a longer, more mobile, but leaner Oswin Erhunmwunse. Machot limited opponents to 31.8% shooting a season ago and will serve as a promising weak-side presence at the rim. He moves well laterally for a seven-footer, and while he can get dislodged by stronger post players (like he did against former Cooley recruit Patrick Wessler at UNC Wilmington last season), his length helps compensate.
Cooley will mix in zone defenses, which Machot saw at Charleston last season. Charleston was in zone on 9.5% of their defensive possessions with Machot on the floor, while Georgetown went zone 12.2% of the time (75th most in the country).
The Offensive Profile
Machot shot nearly 60% from the floor, with virtually all his scoring coming at the rim. He attempted 22 three-pointers (making six), but his face-up jumper looks much better from 15 feet and in.
Offensive rebounds made up nearly 17% of his offensive possessions, followed by cuts (16.1%), posting up (15.7%), and rolling off screens (15.3%).
He was at his most effective as a lob threat in the screen-and-roll game (90th percentile):
Machot had 14 double-figure scoring games, with a season high of 18 versus Liberty. He finished with 52 dunks last season, while he had just six assists on the year.
The Final Word
Machot came from the junior college ranks and finished ninth in the country in blocked shots at Charleston last year — a season in which he averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
His next jump will be from the CAA to the Big East, where virtually the entire league is revamping its center spot:
Najai Hines (Seton Hall to UConn) and Oswin Erhunmwunse (PC to Creighton) transferred within the conference.
Villanova added a potential first round pick in Luigi Suigo.
Across the league potential impact bigs were added, highlighted by Magoon Gwath (San Diego State to DePaul), Sananda Fru (Louisville to Marquette), Devin Williams (FAU to Seton Hall), Arrinten Page (Northwestern to Providence), and Michael Nwoko (LSU to Xavier)
Machot will be counted on to carry a heavy load at Georgetown. If his shot blocking translates to the Big East, he’ll go a long way toward answering the Hoyas’ biggest question entering the season.