In his first public comments since Derrick Gordon transferred to Seton Hall from UMass, Pirates coach Kevin Willard said he expects Gordon to “help us win games.”
The 6-foot-3 Plainfield, N.J., native is the first openly gay player in Division 1 men’s basketball, having come out in April 2014. He announced his decision to transfer to Seton Hall earlier this month.
“First of all who, am I to judge anybody?” Willard said Tuesday on The 4 Quarters Podcast. “I know God is the only person that can really judge people. I have no right to judge anybody. Nobody’s given me the right so I am excited about the abilities of the young man coming in to help us win games, that’s the only thing that really matters. Is he a good person and can he help us win games and everything is kind of secondary.”
Gordon has yet to officially sign with Seton Hall, and thus Willard is not yet permitted to discuss him my name.
Gordon is joining a Catholic University and one that has had a troubled recent history on the matter of gay rights.
According to the Asbury Park Press, Rev. Warren Hall, a popular campus priest who ministered to Seton Hall sports teams, Tweeted that he was removed after he showed public support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in a Facebook post. A university spokeswoman told the Press the personnel decision was made by Newark Archbishop John Myers.
“As far as the University, they have been tremendous,” Willard said of Gordon. “This is one of the greatest places to work. It’s a great place to go to school. We are a very accepting community. I think Seton Hall more than anyplace I’ve ever been really understands the values of accepting everybody and what they are and who they are. The school has [gotten] so much positive news and recognition from our alumni, our students, our leadership has been unbelievable, so I’m just looking forward to having someone that can really help us win games.”
Gordon, who played at nearby St. Patrick High School, averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds last season at UMass.
“I looked at this as kind of a win-win situation for me,” Gordon told WSOU, Seton Hall’s student-run radio station, when he first committed. “It’s about 25 minutes away from my house. The Big East is one of the top conferences in the country. I’ll be able to go there and play to my full potential that I know I can. I couldn’t be happier.”
Gordon will effectively replace outgoing point guard Sterling Gibbs, a graduate transfer who committed to UConn earlier this month.
Both Gibbs and his close friend Jaren Sina (George Washington) transferred out of Seton Hall, leaving the Pirates with just two guards in rising sophomores Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington before Gordon committed.
“Obviously we lost two very good players and two excellent kids,” Willard said. “But I think it gives a great opportunity for Isaiah and Khadeen to really step up and show what they’re made of. I think they both had great freshmen years. I thought they excelled at times. They obviously went through some tough times as the year went on, as all freshmen do, but I think this is going to give them a chance to show everybody what they’re made of.”
Willard said he expects Whitehead, who missed time with a stress fracture in his foot last season, to be an NBA prospect by the end of the season.
“I really do,” he said. “He’s got the body. I think what he needs to show everybody is the consistency at the point guard spot, making sure he’s making the right plays and setting up his teammates at times. He showed that ability early in the year. And after he came back from his injury, he didn’t have the game to do it. But after the summer I really expect him to really develop.”
Willard said he’s also hearing from NBA folks that reigning Big East Rookie of the Year Angel Delgado has pro potential.
“They really want to see his maturation more or less,” Willard said. “He’s got to mature a little bit, he’s got to contain his emotions on the court. They want to see defensively, can he guard his position. I think that’s going to be Angel’s biggest challenge. Defensively, can he effect the game because he can affect the game rebounding as well as anybody, but he’s gotta be able to affect the game on the defensive end, stop his guy.
“If [Whitehead and Delgado] both can go to the NBA next year, I’d be a really happy guy because that means we had a heck of a year.”
Willard said he’s not worried about the perception of losing two New Jersey kids in Gibbs and Sina.
“No, not at all,” he said. “WE have six guys from New York on our roster. We’ve always had, even when P.J. [Carlesimo] was successful, we’ve had a very balanced roster…Our roster is East Coast heavy but we also have guys from Chicago, California, so I’m really excited. I really like my roster, I think it’s very balanced.”
He added: “When you’re at a place like Seton Hall you’re going to have local kids that come and go just because it’s a little bit tougher on them and there’s more pressure on them, and some guys can handle it and some guys can’t.”
After starting the year 12-2 and peaking in the Top 25, Seton Hall lost 13 of its final 17 games and finished 16-15.
As he enters Year 6 on his contract, Willard believes it’s fair for fans to expect a postseason bid — if not the NCAA at least the NIT in his sixth season.
“I do,” he said. “No one puts more pressure than myself. The last two years we had a couple tough timing injuries. Eugene Teague got hurt right before the Big East tournament two years ago and then Isaiah getting hurt this year. I think with the roster that we have now, some of the guys that we’ve added and some guys maturing which I think will help this year. ….It’s been a grind. I’m lucky. I think I have the best job in college basketball. Seton Hall is an unbelievable university.
“I think we all feel as a staff we’re ready to take that jump.”
**For more on Coach Willard’s comments on newcomers Braeden Anderson, Veer Singh, Dalton Soffer and Myles Carter, as well as his thoughts on other subjects, check out the Podcast.
Photo: New York Times
