It turns out that when Malachi Palmer transferred, the sky was not falling.
Welcome to the new era of college hoops.
Villanova saw massive amounts of turnover on the roster once again — and no that is not a check against Kevin Willard. That is how it’s going to be moving forward.
In the case of Palmer and Chris Jeffrey, it is two young players looking for a bigger opportunity. It became clear that Villanova was recruiting over certain pieces, and they decided to look for chances to play, which might not have happened with the Wildcats. As for Acaden Lewis and Bryce Lindsay, the history shows that they had one foot out the door.
Willard has been active in filling out the depth chart. Kwame Evans Jr. and Devin Royal were big-name commits coming to Villanova for their final year.
Once the top two were committed, it was all about filling out the roster — and Willard’s goals were clear.
Evans Jr. comes in at 6-foot-10 while Royal is 6-foot-6. The Wildcats have gotten bigger this offseason and will also be aggressive in looking for a center. Perhaps one from a Big East foe. Willard also brought in shot makers to come off the bench in the form of 40% three-point shooters.
Jake Fiegen shot 41.4% from deep last season while Buddy Simmons was a 42.5% shooter. Elijah Crawford scored 14.1 points per game last season for UIC and will likely step into the starting role for Villanova. The backcourt has been completely rebuilt with shooters and this opens up the potential for many rotations for Willard to use, especially once Matt Hodge returns from injury.
Evans Jr. has expressed interest in being a stretch four for the Wildcats. With a true center in the mix, Villanova adds size that the team did not have last year. Evans Jr. also has the ability to play the five, which would allow Hodge and Royal to be on the floor together. In the backcourt, Crawford and Simmons can run the point. Tyler Perkins has shown the ability to handle the ball while Fiegen is another scorer off the bench.
Last season, Perkins was the only holdover from the previous year. This year, Perkins and Hodge are the only returners who logged minutes. With the way the offseason is shaping up, Villanova is ahead of where it was last year. And the additions are not done yet.