He'll be a crowd favorite the way he competes." "They (the Irish staff) made him a priority this spring. Shrewsberry secured commitments from five players – four of whom will join the roster in 2023-24. Njie has the best chance at immediate playing time. Njie’s commitment capped a whirlwind week – a rarity this time of year for Notre Dame men's basketball. He scored eight points with three rebounds in 17 minutes during Penn State’s NCAA tournament first-round victory over Texas A&M. In finishing fifth on the squad in total minutes played last season (524:54), Njie shot 52 percent from the field, 20 percent from 3 and 52.5 percent from the foul line. This past year should've been his senior year of high school instead of his freshman year of college. He was the first top 100 prospect to sign with Penn State since 2016. He also reclassified. He chose Penn State over Butler, Kansas State, Ohio State and Purdue. Rivals had Njie as a three-star prospect, 147th overall. Njie was considered a four-star prospect, 118th overall, by 247Sports. "I think he found his identity late in the year at Penn State − battling on the boards, rebounding, defending.
"He's fearless and he competes," Holmes said Saturday. Njie was in the gym every morning at La Lu at 5:45. Starling, an Atlantic Coast Conference all-rookie selection last season who transferred to Syracuse. Njie played at La Lu for head coach Patrick Holmes, a Notre Dame graduate and former Irish men's basketball student manager. As a senior at La Lu, he was a teammate of former Irish guard J.J. A native of Centerville, Ohio, Njie spent his final two years of high school at La Lumiere School in LaPorte. Toward the end of the year, I kind of figured out where I fit." You just have to figure out where you fit. "Everyone has their strengths, their go-to moves. It will be in the Atlantic Coast Conference. One takeaway Njie had from last season − college basketball is a man's game. "I understand how hard you have to play." "I'm young, but I've played big-time college basketball," Njie said. With the transfer portal plans of Notre Dame power forwards Dom Campbell (Howard) and Ven-Allen Lubin (undecided), Njie is expected to challenge for a starting frontcourt spot this season. He was one of four Nittany Lions to play in every game last season. If there was one former Penn State player who was going to follow his former coach to South Bend – five Nittany Lions entered the transfer portal following Shrewsberry’s departure – Njie was expected to be the one. We had a really good season, and then it was like everything got thrown into a blender." "It hasn't been easy," Njie said of what life has been like since last season ended. Njie made official spring visits to Notre Dame and Central Florida. Micah Shrewsberry begins to finalize his first Notre Dame men's basketball coaching staff Njie, who averaged 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.3 minutes with 26 starts while playing in all 37 games last season, entered the transfer portal April 3. Unlike the others – all still in high school – the newest Irish addition played college basketball last season and may be a key cog in the Notre Dame rotation this year.įormer Penn State power forward Kebba Njie, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound rising sophomore, committed to Notre Dame on Saturday evening. On Saturday, the fifth time in a six-day stretch, the Irish received a verbal commitment from a player who, like the first four, has ties to Penn State dating back to coach Micah Shrewsberry’s two seasons in State College. Clemson.One day off from the verbal commitment/roster reconstruction work was seemingly one day too many for the Notre Dame men’s basketball team. Notre Dame closes out its season on the road on Saturday vs. Notre Dame is also expected to conduct a national search for his replacement. The Irish have an 11-19 record on the year and last night was just their 3rd ACC victory of the season.īrey is expected to pursue other head coaching opportunities after the season. Mike Brey (and Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick) at The Linebacker for a postgame party. Mike Brey kept his word and had himself a night after winning his last game in South Bend.Ī man of his word. Total class and nothing but gratitude from the 23-year Notre Dame head coach. He’s initiating some of the convos himself. Mike Brey has not turned away one conversation or photo opportunity at The Linebacker tonight.
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