Villanova Basketball Recruiting: 2019 Big Board

Tuesday was a good day to be a Villanova Wildcats fan. ‘Nova Nation got off to a fast start in the 2019 class by landing 4-star forward Eric Dixon before the April Live Period, and can now use the next two weeks to prioritize their remaining targets.

Right now, there are two open scholarships for the 2019 class after the commitment of Dixon. That could - and probably will - grow to 3 or 4 scholarships. Even if Omari Spellman and Donte DiVincenzo return for next season, it is hard to imagine them sticking around for the 2019-20 season.

Here's the current scholarship outlook, courtesy of MikeJ.

vuhoops.com

Below are the names worth tracking at this point, as they either hold an offer or have confirmed interest from Villanova. It’s likely we see a few new names with the April Live Period starting this weekend.

Commitments

Eric Dixon (Abington, Pa.) - 4-star PF - #114 Nationally

Dixon committed to Villanova on April 17th and figures to play the ‘4’ at Villanova along with some small-ball ‘5.’ He comes with a developed low-post game and the ability to shoot from the mid-range. He’ll need to hit the S&C program hard to reach his potential - but the potential is easy to see.

Offers

Bryan Antoine (Eatontown, N.J.) - 5-star CG - #7 Nationally

Villanova has an in-home visit with Antoine scheduled on April 18th, and he remains a priority target and potential one-and-done at the college level. He recently picked up his first Crystal Ball for ‘Nova. He’s yet to cut his list, but has indicatd he likely will this Spring.

Justin Moore (Hyattsville, Md.) - 4-star SG - #103 Nationally

Jay Wright had an in-home visit with Moore on April 17th, the same day that Dixon committed. He’s a tough guard with a great outside shot. He’s been drawing rave reviews since coming back from an ACL injury - expect him to climb the rankings once AAU begins. Moore has seen a run of Villanova picks on his Crystal Ball in recent weeks, and there’s some speculation that he could decide this Spring or Summer instead of taking his recruitment into the Fall.

Isaiah Wong (Trenton, N.J.) - 4-star CG - #105 Nationally

Wong is a smooth guard that plays for WE-R-1 (UAA) and transferred from Notre Dame Prep (N.J.) to Bonner-Prendie in the PCL this year where he was just named MVP of the Catholic League as a junior. Villanova visited him the weekend of April 14th.

John Bol Ajak (Paoli, Pa.) - 3-star PF - #158 Nationally

Bol Ajak was offered by Villanova and lives right down the road. A really athletic prospect that plays in the Team Final program and impressed enough to land some quality offers last summer. Depending on how things shake out in a suddenly crowded frontcourt, he could be a good project to take on. He recently picked up a Crystal Ball prediction for Villanova.

Cole Anthony (New York, N.Y.) - 5-star PG - #5 Nationally

Anthony doesn’t talk to the media at all about his recruitment, but Villanova was in to visit him on April 13th. Playing time is likely a big factor in his recruitment, so it may be wait-and-see here for Villanova.

Jalen Lecque (The Bronx, N.Y.) - 5-star CG - #12 Nationally

Lecque rivals Scottie Lewis as one of the most electric athletes in the class. Villanova has offered Lecque, and he’s visited campus unofficially. Since enrolling at The Christ School (N.C.), there hasn’t been as much chatter surrounding he and ‘Nova. There was some buzz Lecque may reclassify up to 2018 earlier this Winter, but that appears to have died down.

Scottie Lewis (Eatontown, N.J.) - 5-star SF - #6 Nationally

Lewis is a high-flying wing that has scouts gushing about his athleticism every time he takes the court. He has offers from everybody as well, and schools are trying to sell he and Antoine on playing together as a package deal. Lewis reportedly favors Florida early on, with Kentucky making a big push since offering. Villanova has an in-home visit with Lewis on April 18th.

Aidan Igiehon (Woodmere, N.Y.) - 4-star C - #39 Nationally

The Ireland native has been tracked by the ‘Nova staff for over a year. At 6’10” he’s got ideal size and a great frame to add weight. He’s a gifted athlete that has already drawn coaches from all over the East coast, but there doesn’t seem to be much going on between he and Villanova.

Armando Bacot (Richmond, Va.) - 5-star PF - #20 Nationally

Bacot was one of the earlier offers for Villanova in the class, and they’re on his list of 10 schools. In a recent interview, he didn’t speak too much about Villanova. Most have him pegged for Duke or North Carolina right now.

Prospects To Watch

Isaiah Stewart (Rochester, N.Y.) - 5-star C - #25 Nationally

A physically imposing prospect who could provide the star-power that Omari Spellman did in the frontcourt. While in town for AAU scrimmages, Stewart took an unofficial visit to Villanova and had really nice things to say. No offer yet, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one soon.

Seth Lundy (Philadelphia, Pa.) - 4-star SF - #120 Nationally

The Roman Catholic star is a good positional fit on the wing for ‘Nova - but the roster is already stacked with similar players. An offer this Spring wouldn’t surprise me in the least, but it could continue to be wait and see. He’ll switch from the Under Armour circuit to the EYBL with Team Final this year.

Khalif Battle (Metuchen, N.J.) - 4-star SG - #124 Nationally

Younger brother of Syracuse guard Tyus Battle, Battle visited to watch the Villanova blow out Xavier during the season. High-level scorer that plays for Team Final and could get an offer if other targets fall through.

Joe Girard (Glens Falls, N.Y.) - 3-star SG - #169 Nationally

Villanova was recently in to visit with Girard, who is one of the best scorers in the country. Most seem to think he’s bound for Duke. We’ll see if a Villanova offer materializes.