How Former Plainfield Star Najai Hines Is Already Changing Games in the Big East for Seton Hall

After powering Plainfield to a state title and No. 1 ranking, the freshman from New Jersey has wasted no time making his mark in the Big East — delivering big moments, elite defense, and proof that his rise is only accelerating

Dec 13, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Seton Hall Pirates center Najai Hines (25) lays the ball up for a basket against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After leading Plainfield, the No.1-ranked team in the final 2024-25 New Jersey High School on SI Rankings, to a 30-2 record, a state title and the No.1 ranking last winter, Hines is now making his presence felt for the Seton Hall Pirates of the Big East Conference as a true freshman.

Immediate Impact at Seton Hall

Following a sterling senior season at Plainfield High School, Seton Hall, Hines has made his impact off the bench for a Hall team that has been the surprise of the Big East, amassing a 14-4 overall record. After a 4-2 start in league play, and battling No. 3 UConn to the wire in a 64-62 l grabbing 6.3 the Pirates soared to the No. 25 ranking in the nation before suffering an upset home loss to Butler on January 17.

Freshman Numbers and a Signature Moment

So far this season, Hines is averaging a solid 7.4 points per game while grabbing 6.3 rebounds per outing to go with a team-leading 39 blocked shots. Hines’ shining moment came in the waning seconds of a thrilling 56-54 home victory over Creighton on January 2 when his rebound and put back in traffic sealed the win, blowing the roof off the more than 8,000 fans on hand at the Prudential Center in Newark.

Plainfield Still Watching Closely

“Eveybody in Plainfield is following him,” said Plainfield head coach Mike Gordon, whose current team, led by his son and All-State guard, Micah Gordon, has picked up where it left off last season with a 12-1 record and one of the Garden State’s top teams. “I’m not really surprised at his success. I thought he’d be able to hold his own. The game is alot more physical than the high school game. And he’s holding his own. He’s developing and has caught up to the speed of the game pretty fast. From this point I think that he just has to continue to develop into becoming a big-time player.

“I think it’s great for Plainfield,” Gordon continued. “It’s great for Plainfield High School, great for the Plainfield community. We’re an urban city and sometimes there’s just bad publicity here. And it lets the younger generation know that it can be done. For the younger generation to look up to Najai and his accomplishments, is great for our program and our city.”

A Unique Path to Plainfield

A one-time college football prospect at tight end and a three-star recruit with double-digit FBS offers, Hines transferred to Plainfield in December, 2025 from South Garner, N.C., where his family has deep roots.

Making an Immediate Splash with the Cardinals

In leading Plainfield to that 30-2 record last winter, the massive, yet agile, Hines made a huge splash in his first game for the Cardinals with 17 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in a 59-41 victory over Paterson Eastside. His next game was a monster 26-point, 28-rebound, three-block performance to key a 67-44 win over Union County Conference division rival Linden.

A Season Defined by Double-Doubles

With a staggering 26 double-doubles last season, Hines’ most impressive performance of the season came in a 74-58 victory over Linden in the second round of the Section 2 Group IV tournament when he accumulated an astounding 32 points and 30 rebounds.

An unstoppable force in the low post, Hines would record a double-double in every other game. In garnering the No. 1 spot in the state’s final poll, Hines guided the Cardinals to both the Union County Tournament and Group 4 state titles - a feat they had realized only once before in 2012 behind 6-8 power forward and future Yale star Justin Sears.

Eligibility Sparks a Championship Run

Plainfield’s magical 2024-25 season began to come into focus when Hines became eligible to suit up for the Cardinals on January 1. Now, Plainfield had a dominant inside force to pair with Gordon, one of the nation’s top-rated and most highly-recruited guards in the entire 2027 class.

A Historic Season for the Cardinals

This marked the fifth time in Plainfield’s long, proud and rich history that the Cardinals have won a state title. En route to recording a 29-3 record, Plainfield survived arguably the toughest division among all public schools in the state, earning the co-title with Roselle Catholic in the Watchung Division of the Union County Conference, before going on to capture the 88th annual Union County Tournament at Kean University and ultimately the Group IV State championship.

In doing so, the 2024-25 Cardinals joined the 2011-12 team as the only teams in program history win a state and county championship in the same season.

Overcoming the Odds

For a public school to win a state title in New Jersey it must overcome astronomical odds. Private schools have poached public school talent in the Garden State for decades and more recently magnet and charter schools have done the same.

A Championship Performance at Rutgers

Plainfield etched its name in the history books with a commanding 65-48 triumph over Montgomery in the Group 4 championship game at Rutgers’ Jersey Mikes Arena, a virtuoso performance spearheaded by the standout performances of Gordon, who erupted for 24 points, and Hines who contributed 18 points and 16 rebounds.