Villanova G Zion Stanford a Philadelphia Native | Meet the Wildcats

This is one in a series of stories introducing the Villanova Wildcats’  2025-26 roster.

Philadelphia native Zion Stanford began his college career at Temple, wanting to remain close to home where his family could see him play. That same motivation brought him to the Main Line as big name programs came calling after a breakout season in 2024-25.

Stanford will begin the 2025-26 campaign at a disadvantage, as a left ankle sprain could keep him out of the lineup into December: a likely sixth or seventh man before he got hurt, it might take him some time to get up to game speed and acclimated to power conference basketball.

A graduate of West Catholic High School, Stanford is a junior guard who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 205 pounds. Rated as a three-star recruit after picking up a pair of all-state honors, Stanford came off the bench as a true freshman before breaking into the starting lineup with the Owls last season. 

Breakout Season

There he averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, the Owls listing him as a forward rather than a guard — although his responsibilities should remain similar as he plays on the wing.

A strong athlete with a sturdy frame, Villanova head coach Kevin Willard said he thinks Stanford can guard every position on the court (perhaps excluding opposing centers). 

Stanford did most of his damage from two-point range last season and took 50 percent of shots from the rim. He didn’t test his three-point accuracy often, taking just 19.7 percent of shots from beyond the arc, but did improve his accuracy on such shots from his freshman season. 

Continuing to improve his accuracy and diversify his shot selection during the two years of eligibility he has remaining will help Stanford grow into a more complete player. As is, his dependable performance on both ends of the court should give Villanova an excellent option off the bench once he’s healthy. If the Wildcats want to emphasize their defensive play or roll out a smaller lineup, Stanford will see critical minutes.