Can Kevin Willard Save Philadelphia Basketball?

After much speculation, Kevin Willard has made his decision. The University of Maryland basketball coach for the past three seasons has left the Terps and will be the new head coach of the Villanova Wildcats. Willard, who is fresh off a Sweet Sixteen appearance with Maryland, will look to return 'Nova to the glory days they experienced under legendary head coach Jay Wright. In a time where they need it most, Kevin Willard is looking to bring winning basketball back to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia basketball is in the toilet. The professional team is running out lineups featuring players nobody has ever head of and they'll finish around 25 wins this year, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season. This season, Philadelphia had no representation in the Men's NCAA Tournament. That's three years in a row now that's happened.

Coach Willard taking pointers from Coach Wright.

The current Villanova program is a far cry from the Coach Wright days, but firing Kyle Neptune was a step in the right direction. Jay Wright's first three seasons, he missed the NCAA Tournament each time. It never happened again with him at the helm. Over the next 18 seasons, Nova made 16 tournaments, won two National Championships, and never missed the tournament in consecutive years.

Neptune really had an impossible job, attempting to fill the shoes of Jay Wright. But, it didn't have to be this bad. Jon Scheyer at Duke had an even harder guy to follow up when Coach K retired, and he's in the Final Four right now after an Elite Eight appearance a season ago. I know; Villanova isn't Duke. But in the past 10 years, Villanova has more National Championships (2) than the Blue Devils (1).

Now, they bring in Kevin Willard, who had an ugly, ugly departure from Maryland. In short, Willard caused a ruckus over there, getting rid of the athletic director, not committing to the team, making a Sweet Sixteen, all the while not fielding rumors of potentially taking the Villanova job. He blasted their AD on multiple occasions, and then Willard himself revealed the AD was leaving for a job at SMU. He repeatedly acted like he didn't know Villanova was pursuing him. For example, when asked if Villanova was pursuing him, he replied: "I have no clue."

Let's hope he knows more on the court than off.

That's what you say when you're about to do something you know is going to upset someone (in this case, an entire fanbase) but you don't feel like taking the heat for it. Like when your friend asks you to come to something and you have no interest in going, but you tell him you'll think about it. You have zero intentions of going, but you don't feel like dealing with it, so you don't tell him until the day of. It's just like that. What a terrible thing to do. Of course, I've never done anything like that before. Anyways...

Then, not only does he take the Villanova job, but he informs his players via impromptu Zoom meeting? Not a good look at all. And this is the guy who is turning Villanova basketball around? This is the guy who is turning Philadelphia basketball around? You're absolutely right.

Well, for starters, he's got a chip on his shoulder, no doubt. The country hates him. Usually those guys succeed. He's got something to prove. And hey - he's a heck of a coach! He just made a Sweet Sixteen for chrissake. Maryland basketball was middling with Mark Turgeon (and then, you know, he quit) before Willard took over and he did a decent job there, making two tournaments in three seasons, including the aforementioned Sweet Sixteen. A 3-2 NCAA Tournament record. Quite frankly, it would've been interesting to see him stay at Maryland and build the strong program over there that he'd already laid the groundwork for. But, he was attracted to the Villanova job. Probably because he can't possibly be worse than Neptune and Maryland was going to lose their three best players... but hey! He's at Nova now. And he's turning things around.

You gotta give him credit for recruiting Derik Queen at Maryland, a five-star recruit from Baltimore. You kinda suck as a recruiter if you can't get the local guys. Over the years, we've seen a lot of local kids come to Villanova ,as well as transfer in - Eric Dixon, Wooga Poplar, and Jordan Longino just this past season are all from the area.

It likely won't be a quick turnaround. But Willard has a reputation to protect - or maybe, to prove. And he's got a whole city to save.