The old way of doing things is officially obsolete. Jay Wright walked out the door in 2022, and the Wright way of roster building walked out with him. His leaving left a fan base trying to hold onto a model that simply does not work in the year 2026.
Nova fans spent three seasons watching Kyle Neptune try to recreate the past, but the sport changed completely right in front of him. And while he did an admirable job of working the transfer portal to overhaul the roster each offseason, as he attempted
to maintain the program’s elite status, he just figure out how to make it work.
But it might for second-year head coach Kevin Willard.
Busting Bracket’s Joey Loose just dropped his new transfer class rankings for 2026, and he put Villanova’s haul at No. 18.
While being in the top 20 makes sense, it’s hard to argue that the Wildcats should be lower on the list. Willard went out and grabbed five proven players. Every single one of them averaged double figures last year. Fans are getting high-major pedigree and elite size with Kwame Evans Jr. and Devin Royal, and getting perimeter scoring from Elijah Crawford, Jake Fiegen, and Daryl Simmons.
All five figure to be integral in bringing Villanova back into the spotlight. It just goes to show you how important it is to build responsibly through the portal these days.
The three/four-year developmental timeline is a relic of the past. The reality is that teams build a brand-new roster every single offseason. This No. 18 ranking is real validation of exactly that — of course, it’ll ultimately be measured in wins and losses, but it’s an impressive mark no less.
Willard was the correct hire for this specific moment in basketball history. He’s an old-school mind with an open mind on modern roster management. He understands that it takes to survive in college basketball.
Making the tournament last season was awesome. But it’s also the bare minimum a team like Villanova should be striving to hit. And building a top-20 portal class (along with bringing in top high school recruits) on the fly is how Willard and Co. will continue dancing in March.
The era of continuity is over. Willard is driving the ship through the storm. Villanova is in great hands.
