With the loss of 12-year head coach Kevin Willard following a first-round bow out to TCU in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Seton Hall has a completely rebuilt look ahead of next season. Led by former Saint Peter’s head coach Shaheen Holloway, the Pirates have been heavily influenced by the transfer portal with several of key additions to open this new era of leadership in South Orange, NJ.
Seton Hall Transfer Additions:
KC NDEFO, SAINT PETER’S
10.5 PPG / 6.1 RPG / 2.4 ARP / 3x MAAC DPOY
AL-AMIR DAWES, CLEMSON
11.3 PPG / 2.8 RPG / 2.3 APG / 40% 3FG
FEMI ODUKALE, PITTSBURGH
10.8 PPG / 3.5 RPG / 3.4 APG
DRE DAVIS, LOUISVILLE
7.4 PPG / 3 RPG / .8 APG
ABDOU NDIAYE, ILLINOIS STATE
1.6 PPG / 1.9 RPG / .3 APG
Despite some major role players from last year’s Seton Hall squad transferring out, opting for the NBA Draft, or following Coach Willard to Maryland, the Pirates staff got to work building a roster that should prove competitive around the Big East in just Holloway’s first-year in charge.
Holloway would start the offseason with a commitment from former Louisville starter Dre Davis who spent two seasons with the Cardinals as a versatile and lockdown defender at the guard position as well as Dre’s brother Tae Davis; a top-150 prospect within the Class of 2022.
The Pirates would then go after Clemson sharpshooter and New Jersey native Al-Amir Dawes who shot 40% from three last season and looks set to slot into the backcourt with former top-100 prospect Kadary Richmond.
Just days after adding Dawes, Holloway would announce the signing of another ball-handler in Pittsburgh guard Femi Odukale who managed to finish top-15 within the ACC for Assists per game last year. And with some pieces later departing to follow Willard, Holloway would corral a former player of his own in three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and 2022 MAAC Tournament MVP KC Ndefo; a leader on the Saint Peter’s cinderella squad that advanced to this past Elite Eight.
To round it out and add the program’s final scholarship player, Holloway went after Illinois State transfer Abdou Ndiaye; a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged just 1.6 PPG to go with 1.9 RPG and won’t bring much offensively but is an excellent defender and shot blocker having averaged 1.4 BKPG as a sophomore.
TPR’s Projected Lineup for Seton Hall:
Kadary Richmond, G
Al-Amir Dawes, G
KC Ndefo, G/F
Alexis Yetna, F
Tyrese Samuel, C