Catching up with Micah Seaborn

Micah Seaborn was part of Monmouth’s resurgence, helping lead Hawks to 55 wins over two seasons. (Photo by the Asbury Park Press)

By Marc Hutchinson (@GumpHutch)

Special To Daly Dose Of Hoops

Micah Seaborn left Monmouth with many accolades during his collegiate career — including Metro Atlantic Athletic Rookie of the Year honors and multiple all-conference selections — and was one of the most polarizing figures during Monmouth’s most successful run in program history. The question on most MAAC fans’ minds following Iona’s championship victory over Monmouth last month was clear: Would this result be different had Seaborn returned to Monmouth for his senior season? I was able to catch up with Micah on the phone and discuss that topic, among a few others:

Marc Hutchinson: Micah, after a previous stop in the NBA G League with the Grand Rapids Drive, you have now found a home with Mega Basket of the Georgia A League. How is your experience going both on and off the floor going with Mega Basket?  

Micah Seaborn: It’s going good. I’ve been learning a lot out here that will help me in my future. The off-the-court stuff is real different being in another country, being away from your family, but they’ve taken me in and are taking good care of me.

MH: Has having another American player (Corey Sanders) going through this for the first time helped the process?  

MS: Definitely. I knew him a little bit because we played against each other. It was good having a familiar face coming out to another country.

MH: Your numbers look good (17.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG .424 3-pt FG%). How is your health?  

MS: I feel really good. This is the best I’ve felt consistently since I originally hurt my knee (Seaborn was hampered by knee injuries late in his Monmouth career, notably during 2017-2018). I’m able to play every night.

MH: Early in the non-conference season, Monmouth struggled to an 0-12 start. During that time, you were still searching for a professional basketball opportunity and were even around the team in West Long Branch.  What was it like seeing your former teammates and coaches start 0-12?

MS: It was definitely hard, because when you know that you could’ve come back for your last year and see them struggling, you knew you could help. And I have a good relationship with guys on the team, and of course, Coach Rice. It was tough seeing them go through that. You don’t want to see people that you care for go through something like that, going 0-12. It was tough for me at that time not having a team and knowing that I could’ve helped, but you’ve just got to know that everything happens for a reason, and I was glad to see them get it back going. I have no regrets, everything happens for a reason.

MH: Eventually Monmouth broke through with its first win on New Year’s Eve, which helped propel the Hawks into a successful MAAC regular season and postseason.  Early in the MAAC season, you signed with Mega Basket on January 13. Were you able to watch any Monmouth games while you were in Georgia?

MS: I saw the Canisius game on ESPN and the MAAC tournament games. It is hard because the games will come on around 5 a.m. out here, but even if it didn’t watch, I would look up the score and stats.

MH: The great Monmouth MAAC tournament run — which included upsets of both the #3 and #2 seeds (Quinnipiac and Canisius) — ended with a loss against Iona in the MAAC Championship game. I saw your motivational video encouraging the team on Twitter. Being one of the most prolific shooters in Monmouth history, did you ever stop and wonder what the season and championship game could’ve been like had you not decided to go pro this season?

MS: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. In my head, I was just thinking if I would’ve stayed and got to play Iona in the championship, which is how my career started. I would’ve gotten revenge getting to play them again. It was one of the only times I really thought about it, because I really wanted to beat Iona in the championship game at the end of my freshman year. We played the night before the Iona-Monmouth game. I had 27 points, and the whole time, I was thinking about playing Iona in the  championship game and felt like I was playing against Iona.

Those 27 points would’ve gone a long way up in Albany that Monday night. Ultimately, it wasn’t just MAAC and Monmouth fans wondering if the championship game would’ve gone differently had a certain No. 10 returned to West Long Branch this season. Finally, Seaborn took this opportunity to discuss his exit from Monmouth.

“It was the right decision for me at the time,” he said. “During the season, I would think about it. Some people tried to make it like Coach Rice and I had some kind of problem. I talked to Coach Rice throughout the whole process, at least two times a week trying to get more information from him and learn more stuff about life. I just want to let everyone know that I don’t have any problems with Coach Rice or anyone from Monmouth.”

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without being able to go to Monmouth and meet people who helped me out during that time like Miss Marilyn (Monmouth AD Dr. Marilyn McNeil), the coaches and my professors. I left with no bad blood towards Monmouth. I was happy to do this interview to let people know that I don’t have any problems with anyone at Monmouth, and I hope that Coach Rice has nothing but success.”