Seton Hall basketball adds Stephon Payne, transfer forward from Jacksonville

The frontcourt reinforcements are starting to emerge for Seton Hall basketball.

The Pirates have added a commitment from Stephon Payne, a transfer forward/center from Jacksonville. Right now, he’s just the second big man on their 2025-26 roster.

Here are three things to know about Payne, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound junior with one year of eligibility remaining.

1. He drew quite a bit of portal interest

Among schools listed as recruiting Payne in this cycle were Indiana, Louisville, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. The native Floridian began his college career at Incarnate Word before spending the past two seasons with Jacksonville in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

As a junior this past winter he averaged 8.4 points and 6.3 rebounds – including 2.8 offensive boards – in just 21 minutes per game. He shot 53 percent from the field and 63 percent from the free-throw line as Jacksonville finished 19-14 overall and 12-6 in the Atlantic Sun.

Here were Payne’s games against high-majors in 2024-25:

Vs. Florida: 6 points on 3-of-8 field goals, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls

Vs. Virginia Tech: 6 points on 3-4 field goals, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 fouls

Vs. Georgia: 5 points on 2-of-4 field goals, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls

2. He’s attempted zero collegiate 3-pointers

Payne knows what he is. He plays inside and that is what Hall coach Shaheen Holloway wants from his bigs. Seton Hall’s returning center, Godswill Erheriene, did not put up a 3-pointer this past season.

3. He fills a dire need

As the calendar turns to May, the Hall is desperate for big men. Payne could conceivably play alongside the 6-foot-9 Erheriene, or they could split time at the five. We’ll see what else comes in over the next few weeks, but we know it’s hard to recruit postmen out of the portal – harder than any other position – and the hour is getting late.

Seton Hall’s projected 2025-26 depth chart

Guards (4): Budd Clark, TJ Simpkins, A.J. Staton-McCray, Jahseem Felton.

Wings (1): Joshua Rivera.

Bigs (2): Godswill Erheriene, Stephon Payne.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

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