Arizona point guard Justin Simon interested in transferring to Villanova

Arizona point guard Justin Simon, a former 4-star recruit, announced his intention to transfer on Monday, and rather unsurprisingly a host of schools have expressed interest in the former blue chip recruit. Per CBS' Jon Rothstein, Simon is considering Villanova as a destination.

Arizona transfer Justin Simon is considering Hofstra, IU, LMU, LVille, Miami, NM, OU, PC, St John's, Texas, & Nova, source told @CBSSports.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 31, 2016

Originally from Temecula, CA the 6'5" guard played his final season at Brewster Academy on the East coast. Simon was scouted by Villanova during his recruitment but never got an offer. He averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.2 rpg averaging just 7.5 minutes in 24 games for Sean Miller's team this past season.

In a statement, Simon said, "My decision is to transfer is centered around playing time. I would like a bigger role as a basketball player. Hopefully, I will be able to find this at my next program."

When he originally announced the transfer, I tweeted that I didn't think Villanova would be interested. And then I remembered Simon isn't a grad transfer. Given he would have to sit out next season, he might be an ideal fit for the 2017 season.

I'm firmly of the belief that Villanova needs to bring in a strong ball-handling guard in the class of 2017, and though Simon would only have three years of eligibility remaining he'd be eligible at the same time as that class. So he's a solid alternative to prospects like Trevon Duval, Quade Green or Chris Lykes.

And there's a lot to like about Simon's game - he's a pass-first guard who excels in the open court. His big frame and range would make him a huge asset on the defensive end as well. He still needs some work on his jump shot, but we've seen Jay Wright and staff work their magic for players there before.

Keep an eye on this one - if Villanova can get Simon in for a visit it will be a big indication that there's mutual interest here.