On the final day for players with collegiate eligibility remaining to remove their name from the NBA draft pool, Villanova forward Omari Spellman announced that he will remain in the draft, following teammate Donte DiVincenzo who announced his decision yesterday.

The decisions of Spellman and DiVincenzo put the program in an unprecedented situation, as a total of four Wildcats with remaining eligibility entering the draft with the duo joining Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges.

After transforming his body while being forced to sit out his first year on campus due to NCAA nonsense, Spellman averaged 10.9 points and eight rebounds while knocking down 43% of his three-pointers in his first season of action, winning Big East Freshman of the Year honors. It’s easy to see Spellman’s offensive game translating to today’s NBA, but questions remain about his defensive abilities.

“We’re really proud of the man that Omari has become and the thoughtful way he approached this process,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “The NBA people I have spoken with have been impressed with Omari’s maturity and potential as a player. He made a great impact on our program and we’re thrilled that his efforts have led him to this opportunity.”

Spellman is a likely second round pick, although a few mock drafts have him sneaking into the late first round while a few others have him going undrafted. What’s certain is that there will be plenty for Nova Nation to watch for on draft night.

You can read a statement from Spellman here.

We’d like to thank Omari for his contributions to the program and wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.