Villanova in the Pros: Jordan Longino Earns G-League Contract

Villanova Men’s Basketball alumnus Jordan Longino signed with the Memphis Grizzlies’ G-League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, giving him a chance to play his way onto an NBA club.

Unselected in the 2025 NBA Draft, Longino earned an invite to the Houston Rockets’ Mini Camp and a subsequent Summer League roster spot, but wasn’t able to catch on during his limited audition. Even so, a G-League roster spot gives him much more security than a tryout contract does. 

A four year player at Villanova, Longino came to the Wildcats as a member of the ESPN Top 100 in his class but never managed to turn that billing into consistent success on the court, largely as a result of injuries. He broke out during his final season on the Main Line, however, putting up 11.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during the 2024-25 campaign. After scoring double digit points just eight times in his first three seasons, Longino cleared that hurdle 21 times last year. A strong athlete at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Longino has the versatility expected of a guard in this era of basketball.

Elsewhere in the Big Five, Temple big man Steve Settle III signed with the Miami Heat. A 6-foot-10, 192 pound forward, Settle averaged 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks with the Owls last season. Although he earned an NBA contract on the strength of his performance on an Exhibit 10 deal this summer, Settle will likely need to gain weight and build strength to compete with NBA players down low.