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Villanova Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Wildcats

By Lukas Harkins

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats raises the trophy and celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats raises the trophy and celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 30: The Villanova basketball team huddles. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 30: The Villanova basketball team huddles. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The reigning national champions lost a substantial amount of talent this offseason but Villanova basketball still looks poised for another strong season.

After two championships in the last three years, Villanova basketball has emerged as a national powerhouse. Year in and year out, head coach Jay Wright puts together one of the best teams in the country and another strong year should be upcoming. Of course, this will not be without some stumbles along the way. The Wildcats lost a ton of stars this offseason to the NBA and each of them will be difficult to replace.

The reigning National Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson, will likely be the toughest to replace but, among the four Wildcats drafted, he was the only one who slipped to the second round. Mikal Bridges (No. 10 overall), Donte DiVincenzo (No. 17 overall), and Omari Spellman (No. 30 overall) were all first-round picks and their impacts will be nearly impossible to replicate.

Yet, Coach Wright is bringing in an insane amount of talent heading into this year to go along with a few strong returners. There may be more questions surrounding the program this year compared to some in the past but it would be a mistake to count the Wildcats out. With an elite head coach and a talented roster on paper, Villanova seems poised for another excellent season.

Now, with this being said, let’s dive into previewing the upcoming campaign for the ‘Cats. This preview will involve breaking down a potential starting lineup, some key reserves, and the non-conference slate before giving some final projections for the team.