Villanova Gets Their Center in 7-Foot-3 Italian Luigi Suigo

Villanova Men’s Basketball’s wait for a center is over, with 7-foot-3 Italian phenom Luigi Suigo announcing his withdrawal from the NBA Draft and commitment to the Wildcats on Saturday, June 13. Suigo’s choice reportedly came down to Villanova and BYU.

Suigo played professionally in Serbia last season, averaging 18.1 minutes off the bench and 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in that time. He weighed in at 290 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine — a promising sign, given the lack of strength many lanky young centers have to deal with. Adding size and strength down low was a point of emphasis for the Wildcats this offseason after teams exposed their small-ball lineups during the 2025-26 campaign.

With Suigo at the five and Oregon transfer Kwame Evans Jr. and the four, the Wildcats will have one of the Big East’s most dangerous frontcourts next season as they try to build on an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Suigo’s commitment marks Villanova’s second in as many days; they now have three open spots on next season’s roster.