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Omari Spellman will officially remain in the NBA Draft, foregoing his remaining three years of eligibility with the Villanova Wildcats.
Much like his teammate Donte DiVincenzo, Spellman wasn’t considered likely to leave for the NBA so soon. His standout performances in the NCAA Tournament turned some heads, and it looks like he did enough at the NBA Combine to feel confident that he will hear his name called on Draft Night.
Spellman is currently projected to be drafted in the second round - though a few sites have him going undrafted. He’s done a ton of work on his physique and stamina since coming to the Main Line, but he likely will continue to refine that in the years to come. Spellman’s offensive versatility is tailor-made for the NBA, but there are lingering concerns about his defensive ability.
After losing a year of eligibility to NCAA shenanigans, it appears Spellman was ready to take the leap and become a professional player.
The loss of Spellman may hurt more than the loss of DiVincenzo since there is nobody else with his skillset on the roster. Eric Paschall remains a stalwat in the rotation, but it may be a committee approach to replace Spellman’s production in the frontcourt between Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Dylan Painter and Cole Swider.
Best of luck on Draft Night to O-Boogie, and thank you for the memories on the Main Line!