I Bleed Blue and White

Rivals.com has updated their Top 25 Rankings for next season, now taking into account the underclassmen who have entered the NBA Draft.  Villanova comes in at #5, behind Kansas, Michigan State, Purdue, and Texas, respectively.  According to Rivals,

Villanova still is waiting to hear whether Scottie Reynolds stays in the draft, but the Wildcats are loaded in the backcourt with or without him.  The Wildcats also are bringing in three of the top 30 prospects in the 2009 recruiting class.

Additionally, Mike Kern of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote an article today about Villanova reflecting on the recent Final 4 run, but the challenge that lies ahead to get back there.  There are a ton of quotes in the article, mostly from Jay Wright, and it certainly is a great read.

Now that the deadline has officially passed for underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft, ESPN’s Andy Katz and Doug Gottlieb have updated Top 25 Rankings for next season.  Katz has Villanova at #6 and he says:

“The Wildcats drop a tad, as Scottie Reynolds‘ decision to enter the draft without an agent has resulted in some uncertainty. But the incoming class — Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek and big man Mouphtaou Yarou all are top-25 recruits — is so good the Wildcats get the benefit of the doubt here. With the departure of three Syracuse underclassmen, Nova should be the pick to win the Big East.”

Gottlieb, on the other hand, seems to like the Wildcats a little more than Katz, as he has Villanova at #3.

“The Wildcats are loaded with talent, and with some added inside depth, will be better than the team that made its Final Four run this past season. Nova has a legitimate shot at a title in 2010. Some in Philly believe the Wildcats might be better off without junior Scottie Reynolds, who entered the draft but hasn’t hired an agent. Incoming big man Mouphtaou Yarou is tough to handle and Dominic Cheek can defend several positions. Like Kansas, the Wildcats only have to sacrifice their individual egos to win big.”

 There a few comments that these writers made that I wanted to comment on.  Katz mentions Syracuse’s losses to the draft, which I think certainly propels us ahead of them for next year, but don’t sleep on West Virginia.  They should be very, very good next year.  Gottlieb says that some people think Villanova will be better off without Scottie, but I completely disagree.  Scottie is a proven veteran who has been through the trenches of the Big East, and this should not be underestimated.  Villanova didn’t have the most talent this year, but the veteran leadership and experience proved to be vital in the run to the Final 4.  I, for one, definitely want Scottie to come back.