Pirate Preview: Chaunce Jenkins

Published: Monday, September 23, 2024

by Brian Henderson

In today’s basketball landscape, the term "human highlight reel" is often thrown around, but whether it’s deserved is a matter of opinion. In the Pirates' quest to reload after losing most of their NIT Championship team, they secured a player who absolutely lives up to that moniker.

Chaunce Jenkins is a 6-foot-4 guard from Newport News, Virginia. After starting his career at Wichita State, where he appeared in just 24 games over two years, he exploded onto the scene at Old Dominion. In his first season with the Monarchs, Jenkins posted career highs across the board, averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. His performance earned him a spot on the Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference.

In his next season, Jenkins improved both his scoring and rebounding, jumping to 15.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He started all 31 games he played and was selected to the Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference. The Pirates weren’t the only team interested in Jenkins, as other prominent programs, like Arkansas, also reached out. After his performance against the Razorbacks last season, it's easy to see why.

Jenkins' archetype, in my humble opinion, is the most exciting in basketball: the athletic, three-level scorer. He finishes around the rim at a high level, is a capable scorer from mid-range and three-point range, and delivers highlight dunks and blocks nightly.

It’s no surprise Jenkins has drawn comparisons to other high-flyers like Ja Morant. While Jenkins doesn’t have Morant’s assist numbers, he’s someone who can elevate and put any defender on a poster—something the Pirates have been missing for a while. Isaiah Coleman is, of course, an exception, but he hasn’t fully posterized anyone yet.

When looking at Jenkins’ senior-year stats, his shooting splits leave a bit to be desired: 40.2% from the field, 32.4% from three, and 72.4% from the free-throw line are a bit lower than ideal. However, these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. Jenkins was second in scoring for ODU, behind star freshman Vasean Allette, who is now at TCU. But with Allette’s last game for ODU on Jan. 24, Jenkins had to carry much of the offensive load to close the season.

I’m more intrigued by Jenkins’ first year at Old Dominion. In 31.5 minutes per game, his shooting splits were 45.9% from the field, 36.6% from beyond the arc, and 76.1% from the free-throw line. While Jenkins could very well be the primary offensive option for Seton Hall this year, his supporting cast and coaches are significantly better than they were at ODU.

The point is this: the sky’s the limit for Jenkins, and he routinely plays above the rim. He’s one of the most exciting players on this Seton Hall team. Keep an eye on him this season—he’ll be hard to miss.

Brian Henderson is an Assistant News Director at WSOU and can be reached at brian.henderson1@student.shu.edu. 

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