Villanova Film Room: Finding Duke Brennan’s Fit With the Wildcats

Villanova picked up 6-foot-10 power forward Duke Brennan through the transfer portal in April, giving themselves a rising senior who averaged close to a double-double for a Grand Canyon team that made the NCAA Tournament in 2025.

An excellent offensive rebounder who made close to two-thirds of his shots last season, Brennan possesses strong traits that will need proper utilization for him to reach his full potential in a power conference like the Big East.

Watching Grand Canyon’s season-ending loss to Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, Brennan had his hands full against Terrapins big men Derik Queen (an expected lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft) and Julian Reese. His struggles facing Maryland’s big men might suggest a steep learning curve adjusting from the Western Athletic Conference, but a duo like Queen and Reese is the exception, not the norm.

Interestingly enough, those struggles came at the hands of a Kevin Willard led team: if the new Villanova head coach knows how to attack Brennan’s weaknesses, perhaps he can cover up for them and cater to his strengths.

Room for Growth

Brennan maintains a low defensive stance but doesn’t always use his height to his advantage. Getting his hands up without jumping limits Brennan’s ability to block shots, and he averaged less than half a block per game last season.

Without a three-point shot — Brennan has just three attempts and one make from beyond the arc across 101 college games — and with limited ball-handling ability, he plays as more of a center. Offensively, he’s proficient in the pick-and-roll and, with more than three offensive rebounds per game, is a constant put-back threat.

He might fit best with Villanova playing alongside another big man like Maryland transfer Braden Pierce, making it so he doesn’t have to stand on his head at the rim like he did at times with the Lopes. Working on his shot (he set a career high in 2024-25 after making 65.4 percent of his free throws) could help Brennan unlock a new dimension to his game.