Seton Hall Basketball: Why Chaunce Jenkins is the most important team transfer for 2024-25

Although last season saw Seton Hall fall just short of the Big Dance, Shaheen Holloway’s squad really came together late in the season en route to an NIT championship. Obviously, these Pirates have their eye on NCAA Tournament bids even after a 25-win season with a 4th place finish in the Big East. A top-heavy Big East looks a little different this season, but there’s no question that things will be very different at Seton Hall as well.

Last year, the Pirates were led by three players who all averaged at least 15 points per game and all three are gone. Holloway and his staff were tasked with replacing the production from Dre Davis, Al-Amir Dawes, and Kadary Richmond, while a few other pieces also transferred away. Senior guard Dylan Addae-Wusu is the leading returning scorer and will certainly have a more prominent role this upcoming season while freshman guard Isaiah Coleman hopes to make a big step forward in his second season.

First and foremost, Seton Hall added two prominent young pieces in the offseason, as both Garwey Dual from Providence and Ohio State’s Scotty Middleton were Top 50 recruits who made limited impacts as freshmen. The Pirates will hope for greater things from them in the future. This program also added a slew of forwards for frontcourt depth, including Yacine Toumi from Evansville and Louisville’s Emmanuel Okorafor. Talented Bethune-Cookman point guard Zion Harmon adds more flair to the backcourt, but there’s one other name we’re counting on for production this season.

Chaunce Jenkins is a 6’4 combo guard originally from Virginia who began his collegiate career four years ago at Wichita State. He played sparingly as a reserve in his underclassman seasons before realizing his potential at Old Dominion. Jenkins earned a pair of All-Sun Belt honors these past two years with the Monarchs, averaging 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists a game as a senior last season.

He was the leading scorer on a Monarchs team that had a dreadful season, though it was a season that allowed him to showcase his talent. While his shooting numbers were slightly down, Jenkins has shown his potential as someone that can create offense all over the court. He shined when given opportunity in the Sun Belt, though his turnover numbers elevated last season. He’s not going to match that same production with the Pirates, but could be a really sneaky offseason addition in the Big East.

We could’ve stopped at Dual and Middleton, as either of them could become All-League players in the years to come, but we’re thinking in the short-term. Those two could easily make great strides as a sophomore. Seton Hall’s season might depend on one or both of them standing out, but productivity from Jenkins could be even more important in his fifth collegiate campaign. Jenkins has that experience and motivation and should secure one of those starting spots in the backcourt.

There’s no telling if Jenkins can directly replace the impact of those departing star guards, but playing close to that level of production could mean great things for the Pirates. This should be a season where Seton Hall takes a step back, though Jenkins and the other young pieces developing ahead of schedule could certainly change that. Does Jenkins have what it takes to be a major playmaker in the Big East?