We continue our recruit and return series with the Villanova Wildcats, whose season ended Monday with a thrilling triumph over North Carolina in the national championship. A look at what the 2016-17 season could hold:
Possible 2016-17 starting five (statistics reflect regular-season average)
G: Jalen Brunson (10.5 PPG, 2.8 APG)
G: Phil Booth (7.1 PPG, 2.4 APG)
G: Josh Hart (15.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG)
F: Kris Jenkins (12.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG)
F: Omari Spellman (incoming freshman)
Who is lost: Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu are both lost to graduation and with them goes the 2015 Co-Big East Player of the Year, one of the league’s top big men -- and the two primary faces of a national champion. While both were double-figure scorers and full-time starters, their impact goes far beyond just numbers. Arcidiacono’s four years directly coincide with Villanova’s re-emergence as a top team in the Big East, as he was an immediate impact freshman and a four year-leader. Ochefu was the focal point of the team’s defense in recent years and so there are major holes to fill on both ends of the floor. Both Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson will at least investigate a move to the NBA, but may return should they be unable to land a first-round guarantee.
Who is added: Five-star big man Omari Spellman is the gem of the class and he was scooped up early on, midway through his junior year. A highly skilled and equally versatile big man who is deceptively athletic for a wide-bodied player, he’ll have a chance to step right into the starting spot vacated by Ochefu’s graduation. Dylan Painter, another big man out of the high school ranks, is also on board and while his impact might be less immediate than Spellman’s, he’ll provide frontcourt depth and a valuable role player willing to do the dirty work. Also new to next year’s lineup will be Eric Paschall, who sat out this season following his transfer from Fordham, where he was Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year as a freshman.
What it means for next season: While Arcidiacono and Ochefu are both substantial losses, Spellman and Paschall are both capable of stepping right in and paying immediate dividends, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Phil Booth, who played significant minutes off the bench this year as a sophomore, looks like the natural choice to step into the starting backcourt spot. What is undeniable is that the Wildcats will be able to score points with multiple offensive weapons in the lineup. Defensively, they won’t have quite the same rim protection, but they’ll still be able to switch one-four, which has been such a staple for them in recent years. There’s even potential to see some small-ball line-ups with Brunson, Booth, Hart, the national championship hero Jenkins and Paschall on the floor together. That’s a group that could give opposing teams fits on both ends, as all five are talented scorers facing the basket, while defensively they could potentially switch one through five.
Trending: So much of it depends on Hart and Brunson. If they both return, Villanova will continue to be at the top of the Big East and a national contender. Should Hart and/or Brunson leave, there will be more holes to plug and bigger transitions to make. Expectations would obviously have to be tempered, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Wildcats don’t at least return to the NCAA tournament, with a chance to get hot when it counts once again.