Isaiah Whitehead to play for Pirates
Whitehead, who made his choice at Brooklyn’s Lincoln High School in front of supporters, had yet to make any official visits or formally reduce his list of choices when he announced on Twitter earlier this week that he would be picking from St. John’s, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Indiana.
Whitehead made an unofficial visit to Indiana following his MVP performance at the Elite 24 game last month and visited Seton Hall last weekend and then St. John’s, both unofficially, on Wednesday. He did not visit Minnesota or Pittsburgh.
With public sentiment starting to sway in St. John’s direction, Whitehead went back to his Twitter account to add intrigue to his announcement:
Sometimes You Just Gotta Shock The World Who Agrees ?
— Isaiah Whitehead (@Isaiah_W15) September 19, 2013
The commitment is an important one for Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, whose Pirates need a critical shot of momentum following a disappointing 2012-13 season that was disrupted by player departures and incoming recruits’ brushes with the law.
With Whitehead joining Angel Delgado (Dominican Republic/Huntington Prep), Seton Hall has secured not just two of the top prospects in the tri-state area (Delgado previously attended Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, N.Y., and played with the New York Lightning on the AAU circuit) but also two ESPN 100 players who saw their stock skyrocket this summer.
Whitehead will take on a role similar to what Willard had envisioned for Kyle Anderson two seasons ago before ultimately losing a recruiting battle with UCLA. Whitehead will play heavy minutes and have an opportunity to be an offensive focal point and the face of the program from the get-go.
His presence also completes the transformation of the Seton Hall backcourt with a trio that shares regional roots. New Jersey native Sterling Gibbs becomes eligible this season and will have three years of eligibility after transferring from Texas, while Seton Hall also adds freshman and former 2013 ESPN 100 point guard Jaren Sina (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Gill St. Bernard’s).
Whitehead is the fourth player to commit to Seton Hall for 2014, joining Delgado, Ismael Sanogo (Newark, N.J./East Side) and Khadeen Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin).