Villanova Basketball 2022-23 player preview: Caleb Daniels

Caleb Daniels

Hometown: New Orleans, La.
High School/Former College: Saint Augustine/Tulane
Height: 6-4
Weight: 210

Caleb Daniels player preview:

At the 2022 Big East Media Day, Caleb Daniels told VU Hoops that what he worked on most this offseason was “leadership number one, after that playmaking and being a better defender”. With the departure of leaders such as Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels, plus injuries affecting Justin Moore and Cam Whitmore to start, Daniels is primed and ready to fill in the giant shoes left behind.

Daniels is no stranger to being the focal point of an offense. At Tulane, Daniels averaged 16.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in his sophomore campaign and was a do-it-all player, despite receiving the most attention from opposing defenses.

After sitting out a year due to the (dumb) NCAA transfer rule, Daniels had to adjust to more of a sixth man role after starting in his first year at Villanova. It was not always easy, but once he settled into his role, he was a key depth piece for Jay Wright’s Wildcats.

With two full years in and around this team, last season was really Caleb Daniels’ coming out party at Villanova. Once long-lingering effects from COVID-19 and myocarditis were finally behind him, he started to hit his stride.

Although he only made three starts out of his 35 appearances last year, Daniels averaged 27.6 minutes and 3.2 rebounds per game off the bench. His season high 20 points helped Villanova down No. 9 Providence in March, and he was a key contributor in the Wildcats’ Final Four berth.

So where does Caleb Daniels go from here? As Michael Jordan once said about his beloved North Carolina Tar Heels, the ceiling is the roof for Daniels. Towards the end of last season Daniels really seemed to find his stroke from beyond the arc and showed that he has the toughness needed to win in the paint in the Big East. The trio of Brandon Slater, Eric Dixon and himself is a dangerous combination, as all three of them are primed to have breakout seasons.

Get on board the Caleb Daniels hype train now, because the train is going to leave the station on November 7th.

Best Case Scenario: Caleb Daniels has everything Kyle Neptune needs in a point guard. He played the role at Tulane, but more importantly, his leadership, grit, toughness and finesse are all the ingredients you need in a recipe for a conference player of the year. Yep, you heard that right, conference player of the year. If he picks up where he left off last year with improved defense and playmaking it is certainly in the realm of possibility. Daniels has a chance to be “the guy” for Villanova this season, on and off the court — especially with Moore and Whitmore’s return dates still up in the air — and will be an incredible asset for Kyle Neptune going into his first year at the helm.

The Worst Case Scenario: Caleb Daniels’ floor is so high it is hard to find a worst case scenario for as long as you look. Barring significant and unlikely regression, Daniels will be a lock to start every game for the Wildcats in his final season. There is always a chance that with guys coming in like Mark Armstrong, Cam Whitmore, Brendan Hausen and the emergence of Angelo Brizzi, that Daniels could find it hard to get into a rhythm with one of the deepest projected rosters Villanova has fielded in a long time.