Villanova in the Pros: Mark Armstrong Stars Off the Bench

Villanova product Mark Armstrong tied for the Philadelphia 76ers’ scoring lead in their July 16 Summer League win over the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 22 points in 25 minutes off the bench.

The 6-foot-2, 180 pound point guard made 50 percent of his shots, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. He added one rebound, three assists and two steals, committing three turnovers but recording a plus/minus of +8. Armstrong, 21, played for Villanova for two seasons between 2022 to 2024, earning a Big East All-Freshman nod in 2023 before breaking out as a starter the following season.

He averaged 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during his sophomore season and decided to declare for the NBA Draft, but went unselected. Instead, he spent the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets’ G-League equivalent.

Armstrong has played in three of the Sixers’ four Summer League games to date, although he checked in for just two minutes in their July 12 loss to Charlotte, tagged for a turnover and a plus/minus of -9 during that brief stretch. He scored ten points in 13 minutes against San Antonio on July 10, so he has plenty of scoring ability, but struggles on the defensive end of the court might relegate him to the G-League for another season.

Should he make the 76ers’ NBA roster, he’ll have a chance to learn from point guard and Villanova legend Kyle Lowry, who returned to his hometown of Philadelphia for his 20th and final professional season.

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