Villanova MBB Season Preview: Depth, Height a Major Change from 2025-26

Villanova Men’s Basketball made the NCAA Tournament in year one under Kevin Willard despite a lineup dominated by young and undersized athletes. They’re taking the opposite track in year two, boasting a trio of senior starters — guard Tyler Perkins and forwards Devin Royal and Kwame Evans Jr. — alongside 7-foot-3 Italian freshman Luigi Suigo.

Royal stands 6-foot-6 but is a tremendous athlete; Evans is 6-foot-10 and, although he missed Villanova’s preseason slate with a foot injury, is a versatile all-around player. Both Royal and Evans can play the three or the four, while Suigo’s shooting upside will create even more space for the Wildcats’ offense. Point guard is a question mark that could decide this team’s ceiling — junior Elijah Crawford will need to show he can make the jump from UIC to the Big East — but the Wildcats’ depth should also smooth over their faults.

Depth is Key

That’s another major change from last season, when injuries and the departure of players like Tafara Gapare and Zion Stanford forced Villanova to roll with just eight or nine players on gameday. Senior guard Jake Fiegen, a three-point sniper who transferred in from Cornell, and diminutive point guard Buddy Simmons II will likely rotate in as the first players off the bench. Simmons was forced to handle most of the scoring on a bad St. Bonaventure team last season, but his passing rates could improve with better shooters around him; 6-foot-8 wing Matt Hodge, currently recovering from the ACL reconstruction surgery he underwent in March 2026, will provide a major boost to the lineup at some point this season. 

Four-star recruit Adam Oumiddoch, a member of the ESPN Top 100 for his class, is a talented shooter with solid handles, and the veteran-filled environment around him should help as he adjusts to the rigors of Division I. Fellow true freshman Carter Fisk likely would’ve been a redshirt candidate at guard in earlier seasons, but the NCAA’s new five-in-five eligibility model could help him get on the court from time to time.

7-foot-1 Nigerian center Niko Onyekwere should see some minutes in relief of Suigo after redshirting last season, while veteran Abdou Samb can play a similar role at the four.  Former walk-ons like Wade Chiddick and Brady Muller will also see occasional minutes, most likely in blowouts.

Hovering just outside the top 25 on most metrics ahead of the season’s official start, the most likely ceiling you’ll hear for this Villanova squad is a Sweet Sixteen team… but the five-in-five rule means this might not be their final run together.