It’s the second week of September and Shaheen Holloway is treating this workout like it’s mid-March.
Seton Hall’s new coach is in constant motion, his mouth never stops, his voice echoing through the walls of Walsh Gymnasium, and with one drill he gets so close to his players that he’s a part of it. It looks as if
The star, who broke out at last year’s NCAA Tournament, is asking nine healthy players to give it their all, and is running this 90-minute session as hard as a coach at work.
“That’s who I am,” says Holloway, 45. He replaced Kevin Willard at the school, where he was once Starpoint’s guard and later assistant his coach. “That’s how I played. I want guys in the same way.
This 6-month-old from Queens has gone from low profile head coach of the St. Peters Major to The breakout star of March Madness To Get your dream job at Seton HallHe threw the first pitch at a Mets game, announced the Jets’ third-round pick (tight end Jeremy Ruckert) in the NFL Draft in Las Vegas, and joined Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson as an “all-rounder.” The Smoke” podcast. He spoke at the Footlocker Foundation Gala.
All of this brought in seven new players to fill a depleted roster. Athletic his director Brian Felt has said that many seasons his tickets were bought on the day of Holloway’s debut press conference, and that tickets have increased since then. Holloway still stops for photos on campus. Back in the spring, Seton Hall’s Center for Sports Media hosted his series of speakers, and Alex Rodriguez was one of his guests. Holloway joined him.
“Shaheen got on stage to see A-Rod and got a standing ovation,” recalls Felt. “Let me tell you, this applause has brought the house down. Then the line to meet Sha’ was ten times as long as A-Rod’s line for her.
He added:
However, the way Holloway operates has not changed. Assistant coach Racine Davis joked that Holloway treated St. Peters like Seton Hall and Seton Hall like the Knicks. It does not feel or act.
“As a player and as a coach, I had something to prove,” Holloway said. “I’m in the Power Six conference. It doesn’t matter what I did last year. did not.
Seton Hall’s players had an adjustment period that continues today. Holloway only knows one-way coaching. He doesn’t understand how to play basketball without trying his best. Look at the NBA, he says — nobody plays cool. They are all hungry for something to prove. His workout breaks are rare. That’s him one drill followed by another.
“At first, we were like, ‘Oh my God, he’s going to kill us,’” says junior forward Tyrese Samuel, one of five returning players. “Now we’re embracing it. Willard His coach training has been intense. He’s just on another level. …He wants everyone to play the ball against the wall.” increase.
“It’s really contagious. Seeing him so passionate on the court makes you want to play for him. He drives a man.”
Holloway rides the player. He expects the best from them every day. He breaks them down to build them up. There, his KC Ndefo, his star forward at St. Peters, a rookie, plays a very big role. Ndefo has been there many times before with Holloway. He knows what coaches expect. From the beginning, his message to his teammates was simple:
“It’s not how he sends the message, it’s the message,” Ndefo tells them.
The focus of this workout is defense, which comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Holloway. When he first started as an assistant coach under Willard in Iona, Willard gave him the defense.
Holloway preaches the importance of that edge of the floor. You can’t see the court, he tells his players. During practice, Holloway makes a point of emphasizing his physicality. He is at his most animated when Samuel blocks shots at the rim and jumps up and down with excitement. 5-on-3 Defense His drill requires players to sprint if their defense is not up to Holloway’s standards. After making some baskets, he hits the air in frustration. “Keep the ball out of the paint,” the coach roared several times after poorly defended sets. After an offensive player is clearly fouled on a layup attempt, Holloway tells him to come out stronger next time.
“Start there and then rewind,” says Holloway. “But you have to start somewhere first.”
Holloway has yet to coach a Big East game and expectations are incredibly high for him. His sole focus is getting ready for the season, and with so many players injured, Seaton said he lost this summer when his hall workouts were mostly spent on skill development. It’s about making up for the ground you believe in. Holloway makes it clear that this won’t happen anytime soon. It took him four years to run magically in St. Peters in his March. The Pirates won’t be a top 20 team anytime soon. His goal this year is to compete for an NCAA Tournament bid and lay the groundwork for how his program will work. But that doesn’t mean the bar hasn’t been set from the ceiling by Holloway, who dreams of not only returning to his elite Eight, but beyond.
“For me, it’s made me want to go back there so I can work harder,” says Holloway. “I have seen it, I have felt that feeling. It’s about reaching, overcoming, and reaching new heights.”
Asked if reaching the Final Four at Seton Hall was realistic, Holloway immediately smiled and nodded.
