Villanova Basketball: Key storylines to watch for Wildcats 2023-24 season
By Kyle Craib
New Faces: Can the ‘Cats Transfers Ignite a New Era?
As the page turns to 2023-24, the Wildcats are poised to build off their late-season charge. Villanova said goodbye to Cam Whitmore and Caleb Daniels over the summer, with both focal points of the offence heading off to the NBA. Senior guard Brandon Slater, responsible for just over 10 points per game, has also moved on from his college career.
But the Wildcats wasted no time in the transfer portal, ushering in a quartet of quality additions that hope to bring the excitement of NCAA basketball back to Pennsylvania.
Let’s start at the guard position. Highlighting the impressive crop of new additions is Washington State product TJ Bamba, who looks to cap off his college career with a strong senior season at Villanova. Bamba’s skillset will raise some eyebrows as a potential Brandon Slater replacement with a even higher offensive ceiling. After his sizable jump in production from 7.7 to 15.8 points per game, keep an eye on Bamba to continue his development and carve out a solid role in the rotation.
But the high-scoring additions don’t stop there. Enter: Richmond’s Tyler Burton. Coming off a strong season with the Spiders tallying 19 points per game in the Atlantic 10 Conference, Burton offers a welcome addition to the Wildcats, offering size and shooting touch at the forward spot.
His 7.4 rebounds will come in handy in replacing Whitmore’s efforts on the glass, while also boasting a similar shooting percentage from inside the arc. This is indeed promising, despite the A-10’s weaker paint presence than the rough and rowdy Big East. If Burton can withstand the physicality of his new conference, look for Villanova’s new-look frontcourt to feast on the interior.
But wait *queue infomercial music* there’s more! Hakim Hart also joins Kyle Neptune’s squad, transferring over from Maryland this summer. The 6’6” guard out of the Big Ten brings some solid depth production to the lineup, notching 11 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting last season. There’s still some to be desired from deep, but Hart’s game still has room to develop. He is not shy to shoot the rock, averaging 3.5 shots from beyond the arc last year for the Terrapins.
Together, these three combined to make 151 three-point shots last season. This instant boost of long-range shooting adds a new dynamic to Villanova’s game. After finishing up the season ranked 199th in the nation from beyond the arc, the Wildcats’ new additions could help change the narrative surrounding this team and get back to the magic that powered the school’s deep tournament runs from the Jay Wright-era.
Capping off the list of transfers is 6’9” senior Lance Ware, making the move from John Calipari’s Kentucky squad. Ware’s tenure in the SEC was largely forgettable, never quite finding his place within the Wildcats’ roster and falling out of the rotation as the season winded down. However, even in the small sample size, the New Jersey native showed glimpses of dominance down low. Aside from Eric Dixon, Villanova is lacking in depth that can contend with the post players in the Big East. If Ware can prove his value early on, look for him to slide into a bench role to help fill the minutes share up the middle.
Jordann Dumont is Villanova’s sole freshman joining the squad for the 2023-24 season. Dumont’s commitment to the ‘Cats did not create a ton of noise across the nation, but the Canadian has the potential to surprise. In his final year at Hamilton Heights, the 6’8” forward averaged 19.8 points per game while racking up 8.1 boards. The highlight of his senior year in high school came back in December, when Dumont set a school record with a 40-point game to surpass the marker set by current NBA player, Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Even still, the Canadian did not trend highly on the list of incoming freshmen and will have to earn his spot in the rotation.