Player profile
Maybe best we start out with a profile from Adam Finkelstein high school scouting director extraordinaire for 247Sports:
In terms of natural talent alone, there aren’t many guards in the national class who have more sheer ability. He’s long and ultra-smooth with solid size, good athleticism, and an elastic body type. He has soft hands and natural touch, shooting potential, and playmaking instincts. Despite those tools, Coleman could stand to tighten his game across the board, as well as his overall approach. His shooting mechanics need to be more disciplined as he arches his back, has varying release points, and doesn’t always finish his shot. While he’s a smooth handler, he tends to play with the ball too much instead of making quick and decisive moves to get to a straight line. He’s also just in the early stages of reading secondary defenders and utilizing his instinctive talent to make plays for those around him. Coleman is an excellent perimeter rebounder, but his defensive intensity can fluctuate. Physically, he’s just starting to fill-out, but is definitely in need of building up his body. Overall, he’s one of the most talented guards in the class, it’s just a matter of how consistently he puts it all together.
And then continue with SHU beat writer Jerry Carino's take
Seton Hall basketball: Isaiah Coleman, class of 2023 wing, commits
3 things to know about Coleman, what scouts say about him, and the Pirates' projected depth chart for 2023-24
www.app.com
1. He’s a slasher and versatile defender.
Rated a consensus four stars and ranked as the 79th prospect in the Class of 2023 by Rivals and 104th by 247Sports, Coleman is a 6-foot-5, 180-pounder who is listed variously as a wing and a shooting guard but seems to play a fairly position less game. He’s always been a high-scoring, attacking guy who can take defenders off the dribble. He’s not really known for his outside shooting, which is why he projects as more of a wing right now. Defensively he’s athletic and physical enough to guard ones, twos and threes -- and that fits right in with head coach Shaheen Holloway's system.2. He decommitted from Charleston last month.
Various recruiting analysts described the Fredericksburg, Va. native as under-recruited as he made his way up through the prep ranks. Seton Hall first recruited Coleman when Kevin Willard was the head coach, and Xavier, Auburn and UConn also expressed interest. Holloway picked up his recruitment last summer after settling in at the Hall. In September he committed to Charleston (Mississippi State was the other finalist). Charleston just finished a 31-4 campaign and won the Colonial Athletic Association.3. His arrival is a sign.
Holloway has said, in public and private, that he’s not giving up on bringing in and developing high-schoolers despite the prevailing transfer trend and the risks of a multiyear development plan in the current climate (see: Tae Davis). This is the second prep player in his 2023 class, joining forward David Tubek, and his biggest splash in this arena. The truth is, the best path to success for the Hall lies through the multiyear development of a core – not the serial signing of high-end transfers whose free agency price will be beyond the program’s NIL capacity. This is a step in the direction of Holloway’s vision.And finally.
Rivals: “Coleman’s length and fluidity allow him to shine in a number of areas at this level. So while he’s a bit raw from a jump shooting standpoint, his ability to take defenders off the dribble and use his athleticism to finish creatively at the rim pops off the page. The 6-foot-6 wing is a proven scorer that showcased an ability to occasionally take over games against top-flight competition playing with Team Loaded on the adidas 3SSB Circuit this summer. He rebounds well for his position and has both the size and dexterity to be a high-level defender if he fills out and begins to play with more enthusiasm at that end of the floor. Coleman, who thrives with the ball in his hands, has the tools to be an all-conference type prospect but he needs polish in a number of areas before he reaches his lofty ceiling.”
On3: “Isaiah Coleman has always been an aggressive and athletic wing. He gets downhill in the half-court and finishes in transition. This season Coleman has taken steps in his pace with the ball. He has developed a pull-up jumper and become a threat, with his feet set, from three-point land. Coleman is an instinctive defender, especially in the passing lanes. While he is not an alpha player, his role as a complementary guy leads to wins at the highest level. Coleman still needs to iron out the form in his jump shot, but he consistently scores it and continues adding to his game.”
