The 2024-25 Villanova basketball season is fast approaching and March 2024 felt like it was just days ago.
There is no better way to prepare for college basketball than with preseason awards.
Villanova Basketball Player of the Year: Eric Dixon
With Dixon returning for his sixth year, there is no doubt he has the most experience and talent to lead the Villanova Wildcats. Ranked by many analysts as a top-30 player in the country, Dixon is no doubt viewed as the best player on the roster.
“Dixon is probably the most versatile player, possibly in the country,” said head coach Kyle Neptune “When you talk about offensively, there’s literally nothing [Dixon] can’t do, catch and shoot, post up. He can isolate from the perimeter, finish around the rim, and I think he’s a much improved passer this offseason as well. So anytime you fill that many boxes, it makes it really tough for the defense.
Last season, Dixon averaged 16.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. He led the team in points and rebounds.
Villanova Basketball Most Improved Player: Jordan Longino
For the first time in his college career, Longino had a fully healthy offseason. Entering his senior year, he could not have had a better run leading up to the start of the season.
Longino was a ranked four-star guard out of Germantown Academy during his recruiting process. 247Sports ranked him 43rd in the 2021 recruiting class.
With injuries, Longino’s full capabilities never found their way into college basketball, until now.
Opponents should be worried that Villanova has a healthy Longino. In Villanova’s exhibition game against Robert Morris on Oct. 27, Longino scored 21 points which would have been the highest scoring game of his college career.
Villanova fans should be excited to have this version of Longino in the starting lineup.
Villanova Basketball Leading Scorer: Eric Dixon
Dixon has the versatility to score anywhere on the court. His average of 16.6 points a game last season is a testament to that.
Don’t be surprised if Dixon averages 19 or more points this season.
Villanova Basketball Leading Rebounder: Enoch Boakye
Daniel Ochefu smiled when Boakye announced he was transferring to the Main Line.
Boakye is the first true big man Villanova has had since Ochefu guarded the paint from 2012 to 2016. Last season at Fresno State, Boakye averaged 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
The six-foot-eleven forward weighed in on what his plans were to contribute this season.
“Defending and rebounding,” Boakye said.
That sums up why he will lead the Wildcats in rebounding this season.
Villanova Basketball Assists Leader: Jhamir Brickus
Brickus is the best ball-handler on the roster. It is reassuring that Villanova has a true point guard again.
Last season at LaSalle, Brickus averaged 4.8 assists. No player on Villanova’s roster last year came close to Brickus in assists, the closest was Mark Armstrong with 2.4 assists per game.
His vision of the court is terrific.
“I just see him as a basketball player, a guy that can do everything,” Neptune said. “He’s obviously not of the tallest stature, but there’s nothing he can’t do from shooting on the perimeter, [shooting] off the dribble, off the catch, using ball screens, (isolations), posting up, he literally does everything.”
In the exhibition against Robert Morris, Brickus collected 10 assists while only turning the ball over once. His no-look passes are just one tool in a deep bag of tricks.
Villanova Basketball Freshman of the Year: Josiah Moseley
Villanova has its first big freshman class in a couple of seasons after only signing Jordann Dumont in the 2023 recruiting class.
That means freshmen will get impactful minutes. The Wildcats have four recruits from the class of 2024 – Moseley, Matthew Hodge, Malcolm Thomas and Aleksandar Gavalyugov.
Moseley stands out amongst them all.
Named the 2024 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, Moseley led Stony Point High School to the state tournament for the first time, finishing 38-2. During his senior season at Stony Brook, Moseley averaged 22.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
“Moseley is a prospect. He has real length, real athleticism, one of the most athletic players we’ve had,” Neptune said. “We have had some high-level athletes here and he is right there with all of them. And you mentioned his versatility defensively. He will only get better as his skill level improves.”
Villanova Basketball Under-the-Radar Player: Kris Parker
The starting lineup is always on the radar. To put a starter under this label would not make sense.
That is why Parker finds his name next to ‘under-the-radar player.’ Parker red-shirted for his freshman year at Alabama last season and never played for the Tide. After transferring to Villanova this offseason, Parker will get his first collegiate minutes.
The only action Parker has seen as a Wildcat was at the Robert Morris exhibition game. Parker played 21 minutes off the bench, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds. Parker’s natural athleticism will not show up on the stat line. He can get vertical in the paint. He perfectly timed a run up for a put-back on a missed three against Robert Morris.
Parker is someone who might not contribute insane numbers on the box score, but his impact will be felt elsewhere.
Villanova kicks off its season on Monday, Nov. 4 against Lafayette in the Finneran Pavillon. The game will be aired on FS1 with tip-off is set for 8 p.m.