Big man Njoku first 2021 recruit for Villanova
Villanova picked up its first verbal commitment from the Class of 2021 and it literally was a big catch.
Nnanna Njoku, a 6-foot9, 235-pound center from the Sanford School in Hockessin, Del., committed to the Wildcats Sunday night.
“What’s good Nova Nation?!” Njoku wrote on Twitter, which was followed by a V and a blue heart emoji.
Njoku (pronounced N jo koo) said he did not narrow his choice down to a top five like a lot of recruits. He was looking at several schools and did take official visits to Villanova and
Wichita State, and unofficial visits to Temple and La Salle.
“Villanova felt like home,” Njoku said by phone Sunday. “I went up there and I experienced the crowd, the players, the coaches and how they coach. I got a feel for the campus and everything and I just loved it right away.”
Njoku called Villanova his “dream school,” largely because he’s from the area. He was born in Southwest Philadelphia, and lived in Yeadon and West Grove before moving to Newark, Del. in 2016. Growing up he watched the Wildcats on television and saw the team win a pair of national championships. He liked the way Villanova played and felt his style fit in perfectly.
“It was the whole family vibe that they gave off,” Njoku said. “I went to the ‘Nova Mania and I stuck around afterward and met a bunch of people that went to ‘Nova. I heard so many great things from them about Coach (Jay) Wright. How he develops men as well as basketball players. He’s big on culture and that really appealed to me.”
Njoku is a big body the Wildcats will need in 202122. Forwards Jermaine Samuels and Dhamir Cosby-Rountree are slated to graduate next season and 6-9 forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl could make the jump to the NBA. The Big East Rookie of the Year thought about making that leap this year, but withdrew his name from consideration for the draft and will return to Villanova for his sophomore season.
A four-star recruit, Njoku is ranked No. 1 in Delaware in the Class of 2021 by Rivals.com and 247sports. com, and is rated No. 68 and No. 86, in the nation, respectively, by those websites.
Njoku averaged 14.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 assists per game, according to Sanford’s MaxPreps page. The Warriors were the No. 1 seed in the DIAA state tournament. Sanford was in the state semifinals and riding a 15-game winning streak when the tournament was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic.
Njoku could have taken more time to make his decision. The early signing period for the Class of 2021 is not until November, but he did not see the need to wait.
“I felt like I was ready,” Njoku said. “I didn’t want to prolong it and I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. I feel like if I’m ready to commit to a school I shouldn’t waste any time and I felt like Villanova was the right place for me, so I made it happen.”