To think, there were questions about Eddie Jordan’s recruiting acumen.
The new Rutgers men’s basketball coach hit the ground running, landing six new players in his first six weeks on the job after taking over for Mike Rice. And yesterday, the former NBA head coach nabbed his biggest prospect — getting point guard Jerome Seagears to transfer back into the program after he initially had signed with Auburn.
“I believe everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for everybody,” said Seagears, who is eligible immediately, according to the school. “I believe this is his plan for me, to return home to my Scarlet Knights. I have experienced a lot of uncertainty over the last several months and I look forward to continuing my college career where it started.”
The talented floor general, who averaged 6.5 points, 2.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game last year while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range, thrived alongside Myles Mack when leading scorer Eli Carter went down with a broken leg. His return gives the Scarlet Knights 12 scholarship players. When Jordan took over, there were questions if he would have half that.
“We are going to work together and build a program that will be a source of pride for the Rutgers community,” Jordan said in a statement released by the school.
Carter, Mike Poole, Austin Carroll and Derrick Randall transferred, but Jordan landed junior college prospects Bishop Daniels, Craig Brown and D’Von Campbell, picked up top high school forward Junior Etou of Bishop O’Connell in Arlington, Va., and a pair of transfers in JJ Moore (Pittsburgh) and Kerwin Okoro (Iowa State), both of whom are looking to gain a hardship waiver to be immediately eligible to play this season.
None are as important as Seagears, a pass-first point guard who brings stability and consistency to the backcourt.
* Seton Hall announced freshman forward Kevin Johnson is transferring.
Rutgers transfer Derrick Randall, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, visited Wagner on Tuesday and Pittsburgh on Thursday. The Brooklyn native is also considering Iona and Minnesota.
Brooklyn native Ethan Telfair, the younger brother of Raptors point guard Sebastian Telfair, visited Oklahoma State on Thursday and Wichita State yesterday.
Former Boys & Girls and Bishop Loughlin star Joel Angus has committed to be a recruited walk-on at Stony Brook after spending a postgraduate year at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy.
Local standouts Isaiah Whitehead of Lincoln High, elite New Jersey point guard Isaiah Briscoe, Brooklyn shooting guard Elisha Boone, Long Island big man Cheick Diallo of Our Savior New American and Kentucky-bound forward Karl Towns of St. Joseph’s-Metuchen (N.J.) competed in the NBA-sponsored Top 100 Camp in Virginia.