Villanova Freshman Forward Enters Transfer Portal

Villanova freshman forward Malcolm Thomas entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, April 16, per a report from basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.

Thomas stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 218 pounds. He came to the Wildcats as a three-star recruit who landed just outside of most Top 100 prospect lists in his class and never entered a game during his Villanova career: as such, his true freshman season should count as a redshirt year.

Knee soreness prevented Thomas from entering the Wildcats’ lineup early in the season, and as they moved into conference play, the team never found a chance to work him into the lineup. Wherever Thomas ends up, his future team will gain a natural athlete and a dedicated worker: he gained 23 pounds between his senior year of high school and his listing on Villanova’s 2024-25 roster, bulking up his lanky frame in order to withstand the rigors of college basketball.

Thomas’ highlight in a Villanova uniform came at the annual September’s Hoops Mania kickoff event, where he won the dunk contest… the first true freshman to do so since Donte DiVincenzo in 2015. The son of Etan Thomas, a Big East standout at Syracuse and a nine year NBA veteran who was the 12th overall pick in 2000, Malcolm Thomas will possess four years of eligibility moving forward.

Thomas’ departure leaves the Wildcats with seven spots to fill on their roster ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, with just five players returning from last season. Transfer targets include Maryland’s Rodney Rice and Tafara Gapare, Grand Canyon forward Duke Brennan, Washington State transfer Nate Calmese and Middle Tennessee State product Jlynn Counter.