some "gathered info" regarding how the players are doing this summer and what to expect going into the fall. don't ask where it came from - just enjoy!:
Ryan Arcidiacono: time moves too quickly. hard to believe the returning Big East Co-POY is now a Senior. he will be a coach on the floor for the Cats and Jay Wright this season. He knows everything Jay wants done. He knows where everyone should be on the court, he sees the floor well and knows when to get guys the ball. Expect him to be particularly good off the pick-and-pop / pick-and-roll this year - he reads screens well and if guys move well without the ball to get open for a J or roll to the cup - Ryan will find them. He may not have blow-by capability but he understands fully what he can and can't do and has great patience with the rock. He will start and get a ton of minutes - he and Daniel Ochefu need to put up 21 wins this season to graduate as the winningest class in Villanova basketball history (Record held by the 2009, Cunningham, Clark, Anderson class)
Daniel Ochefu: Spent part of his summer out at big man camp and doing individual training again. His primary goal for the offseason should be learning to play with a bit more of a scowl on his face. Sometimes he is too nice a guy. Needs to treat the rim like his arch-enemy and tear the crap out of it at every opportunity. He will probably be able to provide 27-29 minutes of high intensity play per game. Reynolds and Jenkins will play the back-up 5 minutes.
Darryl Reynolds: By all reports he is ready to play an increased role this year. He is an aggressive rim protector (and will play few enough minutes that this shouldn't lead to foul trouble), a good positional rebounder and has shown an increased ability to be effective on the glass by timing his jumps to tap out rebounds to teammates. He has developed a couple of go-to post moves but his strengths on offense are a) darting along the baseline to make himself available for dunks when his guards can dribble-penetrate and dish to him and b) any time he has a clear path to the rim he is airborne and flushing the ball with authority.
Josh Hart: He is developing more of a scorer's mentality. He has always been on attack mode but now he is increasing his ability to take guys off the dribble and finish at the rim or with short fall-away jumpers - if he continues to increase at this rate he could develop a Foye-like ability to go get his shot when the Cats need a bucket during his senior year.
Kris Jenkins: His shooting ability continues to impress. He is a bit more mobile and better conditioned than he was six months ago. Jenkins has a great basketball IQ and will be used as a stretch 4/5 man. Teams are not going to relish the thought of having their big man chase Jenkins around the perimeter or through screens to try to guard his jumper. His craftiness and ball skills make him more than just a stand-still jump-shooting threat.
Phil Booth: he is playing with more confidence and as he continues to add strength/bounce/athleticism his offensive game only gets that much more ridiculous. very skilled at getting square to the basket and making a quality release on most every shot. plays with an edge and has an immense desire to win. another guy with both a large basketball IQ, a lot of talent, and an edge. He could be as good as all but a couple starting guards in the entire Big East and he may not even start for Villanova.
Tim Delaney: he is playing comfortably and fitting in well at 'Nova so far. He has shown that he can move well without the ball, he has mobility on both ends of the floor and he can play good positional defense. He is not a space eater in the lane but more of a stretch four. He has been shooting the ball well this summer and can knock down the trey when he has space. He can finish OK in the paint but at time struggles with his hands. may not play a large role right away but he has some tools that the program could use over his career.
Mikal Bridges: so much potential with Bridges - the sky is the limit. He can shoot the three and the staff is trying to get him in the mindset to attack the basket off the dribble instead of settling for the jumper. His handle and length allow him to get around/by his defender and to the glass with only a couple of dribbles. Could be a real X factor this year and a great one in the long term. Defensively his length is a weapon. He has improved his strength/frame a bit since arriving at Villanova but won't reach his full potential as a rebounder until he toughens up a bit more.
Donte Divincenzo: Donte has surprised with his strength, quickness and athleticism - even though those were noted strengths in his game from his HS/AAU time. His quickness stands out in relation to the current Wildcats roster. His hops are impressive too as he can aggressively attack a defender and get up high enough to either score over a player the size of Reynolds or draw a foul. His passing, handling, and shooting are all good for a Frosh. Had Ennis stayed, he likely would have redshirted. Now that may not happen.
Jalen Brunson: this kid is a gem. he handles the ball like an upperclassmen, has an off the charts BB IQ, he uses his lefty stroke to drain threes and to hit pull-up Js, he is a pesky defender with a nose for the ball in the passing lanes. He will likely start from day one … or play so many minutes that it doesn't matter. He will be devastating off the dribble-drive-dish and pick-and-roll with Jenkins this year … and when you add Spellman and Paschall to the mix next season - sheesh - nobody is guarding that very easily.
eligible for 2016-17:
Eric Paschall: rugged, physical - dunks with ease with a combination of great ups and wingspan. He isn't a consistent three-ball shooter yet and needs to get in better shape - but with a year off - expect both of those areas to be improved upon. He has a Pinkston-like build but JVP had great footwork and scoring ability in the low post - Paschall is more effective starting out on the wing and driving by guys with a couple bounces to attack the rim - if they don't respect his drive, he drops jumpers in their grill.
Takeaways:
Villanova is blessed with six players that are bona-fide Big East starter quality - Arch, Ochefu, Hart, Jenkins, Booth, Brunson … one of them won't start but will get a ton of minutes. Bridges and Reynolds will round out the top 8 in the rotation while Divincenzo and Delaney provide quality depth.
Though the Cats lose Arcidiacono and Ochefu to graduation after the season - Paschall, Spellman and Bridges all project as being Big East starter quality players next season - meaning the Cats will still have a high quality 8 man rotation and Divincenzo looks poised to be a nice piece of the puzzle as a Soph.
add another Big East quality big man, a wing like Lonnie Walker, and a PG/Combo from the Huerter/Pritchard/Green bucket and this program should continue to cruise in the fast lane.
