Villanova ready to set school record for first round picks in the NBA Draft

Happy Draft Day Nova Nation! Four Wildcats are preparing to be selected in tonight’s NBA Draft. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, and Omari Spellman have all taken very different paths to get to this point, but all of them could end up as first round draft picks.

It could be a record setting night for Villanova as the school has never had more than three players selected in a single draft. In fact, 2006 was the only year the Wildcats had two players selected in the first round. Those two (Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry) along with Speedy Claxton and Josh Hart are the only four players Jay Wright has had selected in the first round. Now that number could double in one night.

Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo will be in the green room at the Barclay’s center this evening, and are generally considered locks to be taken in the first. Jalen Brunson’s been linked to a number of teams with picks in the second half of the first, while Omari Spellman may be hoping the Nets call his name with the 29th overall pick.

No matter when they’re taken, tonight will end one chapter for these beloved Wildcats and begin a new one. We here at VU Hoops wish them nothing but the best, and will be anxiously waiting to hear their names called tonight. And that brings us to today’s poll: How many Villanova players will be taken in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft?

In other “news”, catching up with 2020 guard Jeremy Roach, Villanova grabs three ESPY nominations, and Josh Hart is the king of Fortnite. Enjoy!

Hey NBA Execs: Go Nova If You Want A Steal In The Draft | CBS Philly
If NBA executives are truly about bottomline as they look to get the biggest bang for their buck this upcoming draft, then they should look no further than The Main Line.

Jay Wright On Sixers Possibly Drafting Mikal Bridges: ‘He Would Definitely Be Excited If He Was In Philly’ | CBS Philly
For Villanova Men's Basketball Head Coach Jay Wright, having four players enter the draft is uncharted territory and it's also pretty incredible.

Q&A with Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo: Basketball talk with Popovich, bench role & more | WOAI
The San Antonio Spurs will have the No. 18 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and if Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo is on the board, it wouldn't come to a surprise to hear NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announce his name.

Donte DiVincenzo describes meeting with Celtics’ Danny Ainge | Boston Globe
It was viewed as a sign that the Celtics had great interest in the Final Four’s most outstanding player.

‘An incredible person’: Stevenson’s Pat Ambrose reflects on coaching NBA prospect Jalen Brunson | Chicago Tribune
Stevenson graduate and Villanonova basketball standout Jalen Brunson is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

NBA Draft: Three players the Nets could take at No. 29 | Newsday
1. Omari Spellman The 6-9 power forward was Big East freshman of the year for national champion Villanova, averaging 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds.

NBA Mock Draft 2018: YouTube Edition | SI.com
There are thousands of NBA mock drafts on the internet. How about if there was one that ranks prospects according to how cool their YouTube highlights are? Forget the stats. Forget the accolades. The Crossover is back with the second edition of the YouTube NBA Mock Draft.

For D.C. area’s top hoops prospect, start of recruiting included Duke, Kentucky and Team USA | The Washington Post
Paul VI guard Jeremy Roach already has offers from Villanova and Virginia, among others. On June 15, the recruiting window for players in the Class of 2020 officially opened.

2018 ESPYs: ESPN pits Nick Foles against Donte DiVincenzo | Philly
Foles and DiVincenzo top a lengthy list of Philly-centric athletes up for awards at this year's ESPYs.

2018 ESPYS: Compete List of Nominations | E! News
Danica Patrick hosts the annual ceremony on July 18 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Villanova is nominated in three categories: Best Team, Best Championship Performance (Donte DiVincenzo), Best College Athlete (Jalen Brunson).

Los Angeles Lakers Player Josh Hart: I'm the King of Fortnite in the NBA | Twin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies was able to sit down and talk with Los Angeles Lakers player Josh Hart at CWL Anaheim this past weekend and discuss his future in esports, being the best Fortnite player in the NBA and much more.