The Villanova basketball program finds itself in an unprecedented position. After decisions from Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman to remain in the NBA draft, the program now has four players with eligibility remaining leaving school early to play in the NBA. At Kentucky or Duke, this wouldn’t be newsworthy, but at Villanova, a program known for developing players over four years, it is as fascinating as it is surprising.
As Villanova has ascended to the top of the college basketball world over the past five years, detractors desperate for reasons to criticize the program have zeroed in on the lack of NBA players it has produced. Now the program is about to dispel that narrative in a single June night, as Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman are set to join the world’s best basketball league, with several, if not all of them, set to go in the first round.
The influx of Wildcats into the NBA that is coming in a few weeks is a testament to Jay Wright and the program he has built at Villanova, another feather in what has become a hall of fame worthy cap. Wright has demonstrated that he can not only get highly rated prospects like Kyle Lowry to the NBA, but also middle of the pack players like Darrun Hilliard and Josh Hart. Lowry, Randy Foye, and Dante Cunningham have carved out long NBA careers, while guys like Hilliard, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Daniel Ochefu have scrapped their way to NBA minutes while their futures remain unwritten. Meanwhile, Josh Hart is coming off a very solid rookie year.
Again, we have to acknowledge how this dispels the main knock on the program. Any coach can take a top 20 prospect, let them thrive on their superior talent for a year or two, send them to the league and take the credit. Not any coach can take prospects ranked in the 70’s and 80’s, work with them over three and four and five years and turn them from afterthoughts or “nice college players” into NBA caliber players. Wright has done both.
And now, he’s about to make his biggest mark in NBA development to date, sending four players, all with eligibility remaining, to the NBA draft. If current mock drafts prove true, at least three Wildcats will be selected in the first round. In the long, storied history of the Big Five, no school has had more than two players selected in the first round. Furthermore, those three players appear ready to step in and make an impact for their new teams from day one. No projects, no G-league stashing, no two-way contracts. Just a bunch of Villanova players heading to the NBA and making an impact.
While all of this serves as a testament to Jay Wright and the success of the program, particularly over the past five years, it also presents Wright with arguably the biggest test he’s faced on the Main Line.
One of the byproducts of the system of recruiting and development, and the resulting steady progression, that Wright has built at Villanova has been a clear and consistent pecking order. And with that pecking order came well defined roles and rotations.
It’s been relatively easy to project the following season’s starting lineup. Seniors graduate, juniors step into the seniors’ role, sophomores step into the juniors’ role, and so on. That won’t be the case heading into 2018-19.
Down three starters in Brunson, Bridges, and Spellman and a “sixth starter” in DiVincenzo, Wright and the ‘Cats head into the upcoming season with 60% of the starting lineup up in the air, with Phil Booth and Eric Paschall as the only players that will certainly slot into the starting five.
The rest of the lineup and rotation will be filled by players that are incredibly inexperienced, at least by Villanova standards. Sophomores Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels, and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree are likely to be leaned upon heavily, while the incoming freshmen (Jahvon Quinerly, Cole Swider, Brandon Slater) can expect to find minutes early and often. Dylan Painter returns to the fold after a redshirt season. (We’ll have an early look at the roster soon.)
Ultimately, the success of the 2018-19 season will come down to Wright’s ability to handle the attrition and get the younger players ready for their expanded roles. Wright has cemented his legacy, but he now faces the challenges that come from those accomplishments and of continuing that success.
Villanova’s current situation is a direct result of the incredible success of the past five years, and now Wright finds himself facing his biggest challenge since he began to build the program 17 years ago. Wright has proven that he can recruit, that he can develop talent, and that he can deftly handle preparation and in-game situations, developing a hall of fame resume in the process. Now he must prove that he can handle unexpected attrition and demonstrate flexibility in the well-oiled machine he has developed. The skills that have gotten him this far will certainly help, but this remains uncharted territory for Wright and Villanova. It should be fascinating to see how he manages things and how next season plays out.
