Seton Hall basketball lands Jahseem Felton, Class of 2024 guard with royal bloodlines

Seton Hall basketball is on the board with the Class of 2024, and its first commitment is an intriguing prospect.

Jahseem Felton, a 6-foot-5 combo guard from North Carolina, pledged to the Pirates Thursday after taking an official visit to campus. Here are three things to know about him.

1. He’s a cousin of Raymond Felton

Hoop-heads certainly will recall Raymond Felton from his days as an All-American point guard and NCAA champion at North Carolina whose long NBA career included two stints with the New York Knicks. Jahseem’s uncle Jalek Felton was a coveted backcourt recruit who played one season at North Carolina. So the bloodlines are there.

In a notable family twist, his father Michael Felton hails from Jersey.

“My dad is from Trenton, and growing up I always heard about historic runs Seton Hall had in March Madness," Jahseem said.

2. He was a middle-school prodigy

Ranking middle-school basketball players is a sketchy and controversial endeavor, but those who do such things have had Felton high on their national radar since he was a young lad growing up in Charlotte. He currently is rated three stars by Rivals, 247Sports and On3 and is a consensus top-150 prospect for 2024, with On3 ranking him highest at No. 120.

He also fielded scholarship offers from N.C. State, South Carolina and Wake Forest and visited all three schools. For Seton Hall, assistant coach Rasheen Davis was the lead recruiter.

Felton took an official visit to Seton Hall Oct. 13-15 and had a conversation with head coach Shaheen Holloway that made an impression.

"My parents are always honest with me, always straight up; going there, it was like seeing family," he said. "(Holloway) said, ‘Listen, I’m not going to promise you minutes or promise you anything. If you come here and work you’ll get the minutes you deserve,  and I will promise you a four-year education.' I can’t wait to come there and put that work in.”

3. Versatility a strength

Scouting reports on Felton’s game stress his versatility. He is listed by various recruiting services as a shooting guard, point guard and combo guard.

“I’m a big combo guard – a dog on offense and defense," he said.

The North Carolina-based Phenom Hoop Report, which ranks him as the No. 10 Class of 2024 prospect in the hoops-rich state, wrote this about Felton in August:

“He is a 6’5 strong and physical guard that can really mix it up well, plays with a smooth feel and pace, and was able to help run the show. Felton was able to score in a variety of ways, whether it was creating and knocking down shots from the perimeter, making strong moves to get to his spots to score, or finishing strong through defenders and around the basket."

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seton Hall basketball lands Jahseem Felton, Class of 2024 guard