Villanova’s Omari Spellman declares for NBA draft, won’t hire agent

Villanova Wildcats (RS) freshman Omari Spellman has declared for the NBA Draft, but will not hire an agent. The news came on Tuesday morning via a press release from the school. Spellman joins Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson in the draft process, though pair have confirmed they will sign and agent and enter the draft.

Donte DiVincenzo has yet to announce his intention, with speculation that he may choose the same path as Spellman. The deadline to enter the draft process is Sunday April 22nd.

The move makes sense for Spellman, captilizing on a breakout season after being forced to redshirt by the NCAA a season ago. He can now gather information and make an informed decision, and has until June 11th to choose whether to stay in the draft or return to school.

“Omari’s intelligence and willingness to be coached allowed him to make great strides last season,” stated Wildcats head coach Jay Wright. “His development as a complete Villanova Basketball player was instrumental to our team’s success. We look forward to working together with Omari and his family in the coming weeks as they go through the process of evaluating the next step in his basketball career.”

Spellman, a former 5-star recruit, was a breakout star for Villanova during their National Championship-winning season. He averaged 10.9 ppg and 8.0 rpg while shooting over 43% from beyond the arc on the way to being named the Rookie of the Year by both the Big East and Big 5.

Spellman was not projected to be drafted in the latest mock draft from ESPN, but several sites have him projected in the 2019 draft. Expect some updates now that he has announced his intentions.