A New Villanova Roster, or Leaving for Greener Pastures?
Villanova will have to look to fall 2026 to attempt another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
And at the moment, they have some talent to replace.
The Wildcats have lost three talents to the NCAA Transfer Portal so far. Freshman 6-foot-2 guard Aceden Lewis — a runner-up for Big East Rookie of the Year — has entered the transfer portal for next year. Sophomore Guard Malcolm Flaggs, Duke Brennan, and freshman Nico Onyekwere have now joined him.
The total of transfers from the Wildcats now includes Duke Brennan, Zion Stanford, Acaden Lewis, Bryce Lindsay, Braden Pierce, Nico Onyekwere, and Malcolm Flaggs.
A decade after Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats dramatically lifted an NCAA Basketball championship with a buzzer-beater , sending the Wildcats parading down Market Street. But ten years after Villanova’s magical run that ended with Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beating three-pointer, which was heard around Philadelphia and won the 2016 NCAA Tournament for the Wildcats , Villanova had to make a spectacular run of their own without several talented pieces.
As reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer and Clutchpoints — Guard, Temple Transfer, and West Catholic High’s Zion Stanford has reportedly left the Villanova Basketball Program and intends to enter the Transfer Portal.
Stanford did not play in the last two games of the season against DePaul and Xavier.
Last month , starting Forward Matt Hodges was also lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Villanova’s offseason won’t just be about replacing lost talent. It will also be about a plan for Kevin Willard’s team to move towards the glory of the past decade.
To do this, the Wildcats will need both.
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