Seton Hall’s roster has turned over again, and this time the loss is nearly total. Every player on the Pirates’ roster with eligibility except Trey Parker has entered the transfer portal, leaving Shaheen Holloway to start another rebuild just one year after he pulled off one of his best coaching jobs.
That previous overhaul began with 11 new players and a preseason picked-last finish in the Big East Conference. Seton Hall instead climbed to fourth and made a run at the NCAA Tournament, but the follow-up has been brutal: Budd Clark, Tajuan Simpkins, Najai Hines, Elijah Fisher, Mike Williams, Godswill Erheriene, Jacob Dar and Jahseem Felton are all among the key departures.
Hines committed Wednesday to Dan Hurley and UConn after a visit, another hit for Holloway’s roster. Seton Hall also secured a commitment this week from Plainfield, N.J., native and Texas transfer point guard Simeon Wilcher, a needed addition as the Pirates look to stabilize the backcourt and add some continuity after the exodus.
The next piece may come from Manhattan transfer forward Will Sydnor, who is set to visit Wednesday. Sydnor averaged 13.9 points and 6.8 rebounds for Manhattan in 2024-25 before sitting out this past season with an injury, and he would give Seton Hall another experienced frontcourt option as Holloway keeps rebuilding around a roster that has barely survived the offseason.
After the season, Holloway made clear what he wanted most. “My priority is going to be shooting the basketball,” he said, and added, “Get some shooters, just bring guys in that fit me and fit the program, but definitely shooting is going to be a big priority.” That need is now sharper than ever, because this is no longer a retooling job. It is another full-scale remake, and the only way it resembles last year’s success is if Holloway finds enough shooting fast enough to make the pieces fit again.