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Photo via Hudl/Darnell Brodie[/caption]
The Pirates must have wished for a big man this holiday season because on Saturday they got one.
Darnell Brodie, a 2017 recruit out of Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, announced he has committed to Seton Hall. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound big man took to Twitter with the announcement less than two hours before Christmas.
https://twitter.com/BIG__BRODIE/status/812862018894041088
On Christmas morning, Brodie further explained his decision to The Setonian.
“When I picked my college I wanted to go somewhere they needed me, somewhere they could push me every day and develop me into the player I wanna be. Seton Hall is the right fit,” he said. “I love the coaching staff, I love the atmosphere of the program itself.”
Brodie's decision to attend Seton Hall came just a day after he took an official visit, which included a courtside view of the Pirates' dramatic Friday night win over in-state rival Rutgers at Prudential Center. Additionaly, Brodie spent the day watching Seton Hall practice and hanging out with his future teammates.
“The visit itself was icing on the cake," he said. "Just to see how they set up each other, how much of a family they were – they push each other on and off the court.”
One of Brodie's future teammates already has experience playing alongside him. Prior to playing for Putnam, Brodie attended Newark East Side where he was teammates with Seton Hall forward Ismael Sanogo his freshman year of high school. Brodie said Sanogo helped influence his college decision.
“Me and him go back,” Brodie said. “From him telling me about the school and how good it was and how much it helped him, it just made me want to commit.”
Brodie went on to say he sees a little bit of himself in Sanogo. A three-star recruit according to 247Sports.com but unranked most elsewhere, Brodie, like Sanogo, was not heavily recruited.
“Me and him both growing up – yeah, we weren’t stars in the area – we worked for what we have. That never stopped us.”
Brodie also received offers from Iona, Temple, UMass, Monmouth, East Carolina and Saint Joseph’s, among others, according to 247Sports. St. John's showed interest but did not offer.
Brodie's commitment comes just a few days after sophomore forward Myles Carter was dismissed from the Seton Hall basketball program. The recruit's arrival will add to a Pirates roster that currently has just five frontcourt players. With Brodie on board, he joins Myles Cale in the Hall's 2017 rookie class.
Now, Brodie is eagerly awaiting the start of his college career.
“I’m an animal, waiting to be awakened.”
Gary Phillips can be reached at gary.phillips@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @GaryHPhillips.
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