Seton Hall Basketball: Dre Davis enters the transfer portal, what now?

Seton Hall got the news it was hoping not to hear following their run to an NIT championship, Dre Davis has officially decided to enter the transfer portal. His great end to the year was bound to raise his stock when it came to NIL money, and after averaging 15 points per game and just under six rebounds per game, he will take his chance to cash in.

The forward from Louisville was a big-time transfer when the Pirates initially secured his commitment, he brought along his brother, Tae Davis, who would transfer the following year. This was one of the first moments where Shaheen Holloway proved he could go out and get guys, and Davis was a great player these past couple of years for Seton Hall. He dealt with injury for most of the 2022-2023 season, but this year Davis showed how great he can be, and was a huge reason this team was able to win the NIT.

It is unclear where exactly he will go, but Davis will likely be heading towards a stronger Power 5 program, and one where he can make a bigger name for himself as well as secure some more money. When the storyline around him was how he was raising his child during the season, you cannot really blame a guy for making the choice involving a higher amount of dollars for his family. His contributions are to be looked at positively, and this should not be a moment where fans call him a traitor.

Davis made the game-winning basket against Indiana State with a tough drive to the basket, and that is a great way to end your Seton Hall career. While he will be missed at Seton Hall, there is plenty to look back on fondly. Davis will find success when it comes to wherever he ends up, but what about the Pirates?

This is a huge loss for Holloway and Seton Hall, especially when there are other players like Kadary Richmond this team hopes to potentially keep around. Davis being gone just increases the likelihood that the others will follow suit, whether that is the draft or also entering the portal. This team now lacks that strong and lengthy wing who can attack the basket and play some solid defense, so a player with similar skill sets will be high on the transfer priority list.

Either a transfer comes in, or the Pirates give Isaiah Coleman the Davis role, even though he is an inch shorter and a bit smaller. This is all dependent on where The Hall is in terms of their ability to offer competitive NIL packages, and that may even cause Coleman himself to enter the portal if things do not go right. While Davis leaving was more than a possibility, Seton Hall has to make sure this does not turn into an exodus of other talent, and that will come down to Holloway's ability to keep players.

But unless you get major improvements from David Tubek or Sadraque NgaNga, it is either Coleman or an outside player that will be replacing Davis in this lineup. The Pirates just have to hope that this is the first and only domino to fall when it comes to players departing, although Richmond may be inclined to take better offers at other programs, whether that is in the Big East, another conference, or the NBA.

While this is not a panic button moment for the Pirates, it is still a discouraging sign of losing one of your best players after a motivating and inspiring NIT run. But again, it is not this move that decides whether or not the Pirates will need to panic, but if this causes other players to act the same way Davis did when it comes to their future in Pirate Blue.