Villanova redshirt freshman Omari Spellman will forego his remaining seasons of college eligibility to remain in the 2018 National Basketball Association draft pool, he announced today. The 6-9 forward entered the draft without an agent on April 17 in the wake of Villanova’s 79-62 victory over Michigan in the 2018 NCAA national championship game.
Spellman enrolled at Villanova in the fall of 2016 after attending St. Thomas More in Connecticut for his final season of prep basketball. After sitting out the 2016-17 season as an academic redshirt, Spellman made an instant impact on the Wildcats in his first season of action in ’17-18, starting 39 of 40 games while earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors.
“We’re really proud of the man that Omari has become and the thoughtful way he approached this process,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “The NBA people I have spoken with have been impressed with Omari’s maturity and potential as a player. He made a great impact on our program and we’re thrilled that his efforts have led him to this opportunity.”
In 2017-18, Spellman averaged 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds as the Wildcats set a school record with 36 victories. Spellman connected on .433 of his attempts from beyond the 3-point arc and led the Wildcats with 59 blocked shots.
Spellman becomes the fourth Wildcat with eligibility remaining to formally enter the 2018 NBA Draft, joining Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo.
Release via Villanova athletics
