It was inevitable, in this era of unfettered college basketball free agency, that at some point a player would transfer between in state-rivals Rutgers and Seton Hall for the first time ever.
That player is Chris Nwuli.
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The freshman forward, the only one of the seven players Rutgers targeted for retention who didn’t re-sign with the Scarlet Knights, is relocating up the New Jersey Turnpike.
Here are three things to know about him.
Mar 8, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Christopher Nwuli (11) looks to pass during the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
1. He’s a good fit for Shaheen Holloway.
The 6-foot-8, 205-pound Las Vegas native has the tools to be an elite defender. For starters he loves defending, as he’s professed, even going so far as to proudly explain why “sometimes I leave practice with a bloody arm, scratches and all that, but I feel like that sets the tone.”
Nwuli has physical tools, too. He’s long, fast and explosive vertically. And he’s versatile – Rutgers deployed him against guards, wings and power forwards at various times, sometimes bringing him off the bench as a stopper against a hot-handed player. The Scarlet Knights also positioned him at the head of its full-court press, which was the most effective defensive scheme for a team that was weak on that end.
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Although he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, there was definitely a learning curve for Nwuli defensively, which is why it took him a while to earn a regular place in Rutgers’ rotation. But his potential was obvious, which is why Steve Pikiell wanted him back.
2. His numbers don’t tell the whole story
Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Garrett Sundra (12) shoots the ball defended by Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Christopher Nwuli (11) during the second half in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Hampered early on by an injury that caused him to miss the Seton Hall game, Nwuli finished the season as a different player from when he first took the court in November. On the whole he averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10 minutes per game while shooting 37 percent from the field, but his potential showed in a win over Northwestern (5 points, 5 rebounds in 13 minutes), in a four-point loss at Michigan State (6 points in 17 minutes) and in two victories over Penn State (he averaged 6.0 points in 11.0 minutes).
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Though he never started, by the season’s end Pikiell had him on the court at the end of close games.
Offensively, Nwuli is raw. But he became more comfortable shooting over the season’s second half and actually shot 4-of-11 from 3-point range (36 percent in a small sample size). He also shot 68.6 percent from the free-throw line, but again his confidence grew there – he made 13 of his final 17 (76 percent).
3. He’s got swagger
Nov 14, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Christopher Nwuli (11) dunks the ball during the first half against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Nwuli has a big personality – not the kind that rubbed teammates the wrong way, but one with leadership potential. He’s best utilized in aggressive schemes like Seton Hall’s full-court pressure defense. On the offensive end, he had some dynamic moments on the fast break – both handling and finishing – for the Scarlet Knights. He was less effective in Rutgers’ half-court offense.
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Is Nwuli a power forward or a small forward? He probably can play either spot in the Big East, but Rutgers mostly used him at the four. Given Holloway’s affinity for smaller, mobile fours, that’s probably where we’ll see him with the Pirates.
It will be interesting to see what kind of reception Nwuli gets when the Garden State Hardwood Classic returns to Piscataway in December. This is uncharted territory. In this new world, it seems, there’s a first time for everything.
Seton Hall’s projected 2026-27 depth chart
Guards (6): Del Jones, Trey Parker, Simeon Wilcher, Kareem Thomas, Roddie Anderson, Darien ‘Payday’ Moore.
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Wings (1): Rodney Brown.
Bigs (2): Nathan Mariano, Chris Nwuli.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seton Hall basketball adds Rutgers transfer forward Chris Nwuli
