Villanova Film Room: Former 5-Star Devin Askew’s Veteran Savvy

A former five star recruit and the No. 27 player on ESPN’s Top 100 for the Class of 2020, injuries limited new Villanova point guard Devin Askew’s ability to live up to his hype as a prospect, but he matured into a strong collegiate contributor regardless.

The Wildcats will be Askew’s fifth team in six years, but don’t make any undue assumptions about a highly-touted recruit jumping from team to team. Askew played for Long Beach State during the 2024-25 season and, when watching the Beach play as a team — rather than watching highlights tailored specifically to Askew’s successes — the veteran point guard stands out as a high motor contributor with a nasty crossover move and smooth handles.

After starting to settle in on the court with Cal between 2022 and 2024, injuries kept Askew out of the lineup, which is part of why he still has eligibility remaining. Nevertheless, he enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Beach last season, and will look to replicate that success in his collegiate swan song after transferring to Villanova in April.

Veteran Savvy

As one might expect — or hope — from a six year veteran, Askew doesn’t get caught watching the ball. He remains active on defense, filling passing lanes and staying low. He’s a strong enough athlete to slip past screens, and when defending on the ball, his opponent would often elect to pass rather than attacking Askew directly… although that’s indicative of the struggling team around him as much as it is his own defensive talent.

A volume scorer, Askew attempted 484 shots last season, an average of more than 15 per game, making 40.1 percent of shots from the floor and 37.3 percent of those from three.

Askew served as the lead guard for the Beach, averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He added 1.5 steals per game but also struggled with turnovers, posting an averaging of 3.7. Askew could face something of a learning curve in the Big East, but having more of a supporting cast — the Beach played to a miserable 7-25 record last season — means he won’t need to stand on his head: more than 26 percent of Long Beach State’s made field goals last season — 194 of 736 — came from Askew.