skip navigation

Villanova to add Fordham transfer Paschall

04/23/2015, 10:30am EDT
By Josh Verlin

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
--

Update (1:30 PM): Paschall made the news official, Tweeting out that he would be continuing his hoops career at Villanova on Thursday afternoon.

Original Story: Villanova is apparently about to receive some good news on the transfer front.

As first reported by SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria, Fordham transfer Eric Paschall, the 2015 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, will announce 'Nova as his landing spot on Friday, picking the Wildcats over Providence, Florida, Kansas and staying at Fordham.

A source from within Villanova's program confirmed the news, saying "he is coming."

A 6-foot-6, 200-pound wing from Dobbs Ferry (N.Y.), Paschall averaged 15.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg this past season. Fordham went just 10-21 (4-14 Atlantic 10), however, the program's eighth-straight losing season; head coach Tom Pecora was removed from his position at the conclusion of the season. 

After sitting out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Paschall will be eligible in 2016-17 with three seasons of eligibility left. That gives 'Nova head coach Jay Wright a five-man graduating class of 2019 that includes 6-7 wing Mikal Bridges, who redshirted last season, as well as incoming freshman Jalen BrunsonDonte Divincenzo and Tim Delaney.

When he does become eligible, Paschall will join a somewhat crowded Villanova perimeter group that will feature two seniors in 6-5 wing Josh Hart (10.1 ppg in 2014-'15) and 6-6 small forward Kris Jenkins (6.3 ppg), a 3-point specialist who has a body similar to Paschall's. The point guards project to be Phil Booth, who just finished his freshman season (5.8 ppg/1.4 apg), as well as Brunson, the top-ranked point guard in the 2015 class.

That leaves Bridges, Divincenzo and Paschall as scorers on the wing, though they all bring something a little different to the table. Divincenzo, at 6-4 and athletic, can play either guard spot, though he's really best used as a pure scorer off the ball. Bridges, at 6-7, could see some time as a stretch-forward, though his skillset is really that of a '2' or '3,' and Paschall has very good size as a wing forward but needs to improve upon his 31.5 percent mark from 3-point range at Fordham.

Up front, they'll have a 6-8 sophomore in Delaney, who's more of a stretch-forward in his own right, plus 6-9 incoming freshman Omari Spellman, who does look like he'll have to step right in and start at center right away. The strength of that team clearly lies in the backcourt's depth, so it wouldn't be surprising for Wright to start four guards all year long.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how Wright spreads the minutes around in 2016-17.

Latest Headlines

Tag(s): Josh Verlin