Villanova Wildcats: Can Omari Spellman give the team a boost inside?

Now that Omari Spellman is academically eligible this season, how will the redshirt sophomore’s game translate for the Villanova Wildcats?

It’s no secret that last season proved disappointing for the Villanova Wildcats. After losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats now need to regroup. Looking forward to next season, they will have a much-needed boost in the form of big man Omari Spellman.

Interestingly enough, Spellman was supposed to suit up for the Wildcats last season. However, due to academic ineligibility, he had to spend last year on the bench. This proved detrimental to Villanova, as they lacked a serious presence up front. For the majority of last season, ‘Nova’s frontcourt was thin and depleted.

The lack of a serious presence up front proved fatal to this Villanova Wildcats team. With the duo of Mikal Bridges and Darryl Reynolds, the frontcourt suffered tremendously. That tandem averaged 10.0 rebounds between the two of them. Considering the fact that guard Josh Hart averaged 6.0 rebounds alone, the frontcourt pairing of Bridges and Reynolds certainly didn’t step up enough. Now, that does not mean they haven’t improved. It simply means that lack of depth hurt this Wildcats team.

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However, now that Omari Spellman is eligible to return for next season, Villanova looks to be in better shape up front. Remember, Spellman was a five-star recruit the year before. He placed fifth among all power-forward recruits in the 2016 recruiting class. Make no mistake, the loss of Omari Spellman last season seriously hurt ‘Nova. Luckily, they will have him back for this season.

Now, how does Omari Spellman operate? Well, looking at his tape from high school, he’s at his best in the paint. Although, he can do so much with the ball. He definitely has multiple tools at his disposal.

Big Presence

At 6-9, 275 pounds, Spellman would immediately be the biggest body on this Wildcats team. Seriously, this kid is a tank. However, he moves with the sort of finesse that you don’t really see with guys his size. In the open floor, it almost seems like Spellman compares to a Draymond Green of sorts. He can take it the rack with the best of them, which could seriously help Villanova with the losses of Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono over the past two seasons.

Occasionally, Omari can hit the open three. While he doesn’t take many, he hit six of nine threes in his senior year of high school. Now, that’s a seriously small sample, but it’s something to keep in the back of your head.

In terms of fit, Spellman could be just what the doctor ordered. Remember, ‘Nova was at their best when they played small ball with one big man in the middle. Once Daniel Ochefu went pro, the Wildcats lost their presence in the paint. Ideally, Spellman could fill this role in short spurts this season.

Next: Villanova Wildcats: A look at Josh Hart’s NBA potential

Remember, Jay Wright likes to show love to his upperclassmen. So, Darryl Reynolds could maintain his spot as the starting “center”. On the bright side, adding Spellman to the mix gives the Wildcats some much-needed depth. In terms of build and overall game, Omari Spellman reminds me of Zach Randolph. Both guys are slightly undersized, heavier bodies at their positions and both have magnificent post moves. At the end of the day, Spellman will need to make some noise this season in order to make up for lost time. Hopefully, he can do so for a size-depleted Wildcats team.