Former Seton Hall Player Arrested; School Dean Explains Gonzo Ouster

Fired Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez threw forward Robert Mitchell off of the team last weekend after Mitchell questioned the coach’s substitution patterns.

On Tuesday, Mitchell was arrested and charged with kidnapping, robbery, burglary and posession of a weapon in Newark, according to the New York Times.

It’s unclear whether the Mitchell incident occurred while he was still a member of the Pirates but, regardless of the timing of the incident, the arrest reflects poorly on Gonzalez, whose players were involved in embarrassing incidents on and off the court this season.

Player behavior was one reason cited on Wednesday by Seton Hall administration when it announced the firing of Gonzalez.

“Performance and success are not measured solely by wins and losses, but also in the conduct of those associated with the program,” said Patrick Hobbs, dean of the Seton Hall Law School who has been overseeing the athletic department since July. “We have expectations as to how our coaches and players will conduct themselves, and they are expected to treat everyone they interact with, whether officials, the press or our students, with the utmost respect, maturity and professionalism. Those core expectations must be met.”