Report: Villanova Picks Up Big 5 Transfer Zion Stanford

Villanova Men’s Basketball made their second transfer portal pickup of the offseason on Monday, April 14, receiving a commitment from Temple guard Zion Stanford according to a report from Joe Tipton of On3.

Stanford posted “ain’t no place like home” with a “novanation” hashtag to his Instagram account, further confirming the news.

The news comes on the heels of Stanford visiting Villanova over the weekend. A 6-foot-6, 205 pound shooting guard, Stanford averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Owls during the 2024-24 campaign, making 45.5 percent of his shots and 34.9 percent of those from three. Stanford hails from Philadelphia, a graduate of West Catholic Prep High School, and retains two years of collegiate eligibility.

A three-star recruit out of high school, Stanford didn’t receive an offer from Villanova during his initial recruiting cycle. His arrival leaves new head coach Kevin Willard and his staff with six spots to fill on the Wildcats’ roster ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Villanova will host (or already has hosted) a series of other transfer targets in the coming days, including Maryland guard Rodney Rice, Grand Canyon forward Duke Brennan, Temple guard Zion Stanford and Middle Tennessee State product Jlynn Counter.