Villanova Forward Tafara Gapare Addresses Departure

Former Villanova forward Tafara Gapare, who the Wildcats announced had departed the program on Tuesday, Jan. 6, took to social media to clear the air about his decision the following day. Gapare landed on Villanova’s injury/availability report ahead of their Dec. 23 game at Seton Hall, listed as out for a personal reason, and didn’t appear in either of the next two games, landing on the report as absent for an undisclosed reason.

His departure led to speculation, which he addressed in his statement, saying that he needed time away from the program to “focus on [his] mental well-being.” Here’s Gapare’s statement in full.

“I never imagined that being honest about an injury and my mental health, and speaking with people I trusted, would lead to a narrative that I quit or left the team. That is not true. I communicated openly with medical professionals, staff and coaches,” Gapare said. “I was told it was okay to take a short period to focus on my mental well-being. During that time, I remained in near-constant communication with coaching staff, who knew I remained committed to this program. At no point did I claim that I was leaving or walking away from the team. Asking for help should never be mistaken for quitting.”

His post also included hashtags like “mental health in sports” and “health over everything.”

Gapare followed Villanova head coach Kevin Willard from Maryland to the Main Line in the offseason, and put up 2.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in an average of 16.3 minutes per game as the Wildcats’ second option off the bench. A 6-foot-9 senior forward who hails from New Zealand, he was a member of the ESPN Top 100 for the class of 2021.