2018-19 Villanova Basketball Player Preview: Saddiq Bey

VUHoops will be kicking off the 2018-19 Villanova Basketball season with an entire month of team coverage. Check in every day for new player previews, schedule breakdowns, team analysis, event recaps, and season predictions as we get closer to the first tip-off of the year!

Saddiq Bey did not have what most would considered the “typical” recruitment. Bey was an N.C. State commit until May. Before that, the Villanova freshman was expected to commit to Miami until the FBI sting operation a year ago derailed that.

After commiting to N.C. State in November, Bey turned around and asked for a release in May after the team brought in some grad transfers and would have been over their allotted scholarships. Bey decided he wanted to go in a different direction. That reopened his recruitment, and with Omari Spellman and Donte DiVincenzo heading to the NBA, Villanova had a spot to fill. VUHoops postulated that Bey was an option in late May, and Bey committed to Villanova on June 15th.

Profile and Stats: Saddiq Bey (FR)

Hometown: Washington, D.C. | High School: Sidwell Friends | Height: 6’8” | Weight: 220

Player Preview

Saqqid Bey is the 138th ranked recruit in the nation according 247Sports and the number 34th overall small forward. By all accounts, the D.C. product was a late riser, only receiving national attention in December of his senior year. The small forward was only 5’9” as a high school freshman at Sidwell Friends before growing 10 inches in three years. Offers came from low-end D1 schools in the first recruiting period, but they really started rolling in after Bey dominated an Under Armor event in New York City.

As a senior, Bey averaged 21.2 points per game while hauling in 8.2 rebounds, adding 3.0 assists and nearly a steal per game. According to his high school coaches, the small forward plays like a guard in a forward’s body and shows his versatility by guarding multiple positions on the defensive end and playing on or off ball on offense.

I don’t profess to be any sort of basketball talent evaluator, but in the highlight reels I watched Bey has a very smooth game. His range extends beyond the three point line and his stroke is easy. He dribbles like a guard because of his late growth spurt but throws down like a wing. He has the length to switch and, according to scouts, may grow more.

Best Case Scenario

Because he’s still a fairly raw talent, Bey may be a player Villanova chooses to redshirt this season. Therefore, his best case may be playing his way into some minutes because of his three-and-D ability, enough that he jumps a few of his fellow freshman in the pecking order and avoids the redshirt.

Long term, Bey’s potential is clear. If you squint hard, Bey has all the making of being a Mikal Bridges-like player: Athletic and long with a smooth stroke and great defensive ability. Jay and his staff may have unearthed another gem in Bey.

Worst Case Scenario

Bey redshirts, which is totally fine. Redshirting in Villanova’s system obviously works. No really, it works. So if taking a year to improve and refine his skill set while adjusting to the college game is the worst thing that could happen, we should all be okay with that.

Wisdom of the Crowds

We are pleased to bring back our Wisdom of Crowds experiment for the 2018-2019 season. In this series, we ask that you consider the points covered in our player preview to supplement your own personal insights and instincts to predict the points per game each player on the roster we score in the upcoming season.