Seton Hall Media Day

[Halldan1]

Had a chance to interview many of the players. My Q&A's are on the Trove.

For the free board I'll post one answer each day from a player.

Today, Jevon Thomas....

You work a lot with coaches Willard and Holloway. What's that like?

Oh, it's great. Shaheen was from my way. He really cares about me and it's genuine. He went through it and understands players like me. Yeah I know it's a business but he really has my best interests at heart.

Same with coach Willard. And he also was a point guard in college. It's good to play for coaches who played the game. Especially at your position.

Plus both coaches are pretty young so they understand how we like to play the game these days. They understand how we feel when we're playing and when we have free time.

Coach Willard is always joking. Playing us so that keeps us loose.

I love playing for both of those guys.

 

[Halldan1]

Today, Desi Rodriquez.

Do you think the squad will have team captains or do what you did last season having game captains?

That will be up to coach but I think coach gives us a lot of freedom. We all know what we have to do so I'm not sure we need a captain. Guys who talk and lead on the court will be our leaders.

The players who have been together for a year....we talk a lot to each other in the game trying to help each other out. And we really try to help the freshmen too.

As for the transfers...they know what they're doing and they calm us down when things aren't going right.

Another thing we like to do is show the young guys what coach Willard wants. We learned last year so now we can help the new guys.

I don't think we need 'a' captain. I think most of us can be captains as a group.

 

[Halldan1]

Today, Braeden Anderson.

Can you take us through your thought process in deciding to attend Seton Hall?

To be honest at first I had to figure out if anybody would want me. A school that would allow me to do this crazy challenging thing I wanted to do in balancing basketball and law school. And that proved to be a difficult thing. It wasn't one school or the other particularity saying no more than the other. It was either the law school saying no or the basketball side saying no. So what was awesome about Seton Hall was the unique relationship between Pat Hobbs being an advocate on the law side and coach Willard having a mutual respect for each other and what they were both trying to get done (for me). They were able to come together and make a compromise to ensure that everything gets done in the right way for me to play basketball while attending law school.

 

[Shuathelete]

I think its great for Anderson he found a place he could do that, I think its telling Seton Hall was the only place allowing him to do so.

 

[shupat08]

I think its great for Anderson he found a place he could do that, I think its telling Seton Hall was the only place allowing him to do so.

Just like SHU was the only major school to accept Flash according to that ESPN article.

 

[Halldan1]

Today Dalton Soffer.

It's rare for a high school player out west to play for Seton Hall. Would you explain how that happened?

I wanted to experience something new. I decided to come here and accept the unique opportunity to play in the Big East and play for a quality academic university like Seton Hall.

It's the best of both worlds for me and I'm looking forward to the start of the season.

 

[Halldan1]

Today Derrick Gordon.

You have experienced the NCAA tournament at two different schools. Do you see that type of talent on this roster?

Definitely. I mean I have to bring a leadership role to this team. There a lot of young guys on this team and with me playing in two NCAA Tournaments, conference championships....I definitely bring a lot of experience to the team.

I know coach wants me to be a lot more vocal. Usually I am used to letting my game speak for itself. But here I have to be more vocal while showing everyone my overall game.

If we all stay on the same page we are going to shock people.

 

[Halldan1]

Today Ish Sonogo.

What's the difference between your freshmen year and where you are now?

I am older and I feel more mature. I gained weight and have gotten stronger. I have increased my vertical and am more athletic than last year.

My mentality is different, just from experience, and my overall game is better.....including my defense and my shooting.

 

[Halldan1]

Today, Veer Singh

What's it like to play for coach Willard?

I can't say enough about him. He's a blue collar kind of guy. He has that mentality. Not a lot of fluff, not a lot of extra stuff. He just gets right to it.

I really appreciate what he has done for me. He's really helped me get ready on the defensive end of the floor because the Big East is tough. Defense wasn't a part of the game that I took seriously enough but with coach's help that has changed. He's always preaching defense and its principals and I've been getting better each day because of it.

 

[Bobbie Solo]

thats a nice quote from Singh. I hope that praise actually translates onto the game court this season.

 

[Halldan1]

At Big East Media Day

Khadeen Carrington

How do you respond to coach calling you the most improved player on the team?

I barely went home over the summer. Spent the entire time on campus from May to August. I worked really hard on my game in the gym with coach Sha Holloway. Worked hard in the weight room too. I knew it was going to be a big year for me so I made sure it was going to be a big summer before that.

 

[Halldan1]

Isaiah Whitehead

This summer you spent 3 weeks working out in Vegas with Lance Stephenson. Can you advise how that went?

It was a great experience. It was basically just me and Lance who I know well from New York. We worked daily on my game and he told me what to expect off the court being a highly ranked player. He went through much of what I am going through so any advise helps me.

This wasn't the first time we spoke. In the past he told me a lot of the same things but hearing it again is always good.

 

[Halldan1]

Angel Delgado

How important was it for you to play for your national team over the summer?

It meant so much to me. I was so proud. It made me very happy to be there representing my country. I can't tell you how much I appreciated the opportunity I was given.


Can you touch on the basketball aspect?

I learned so much playing against more experienced players. I played for and against guys who were in their 30ies who have been playing the game longer than me. They know so much about the game and I learned a lot going up against them.