Another prominent coach on the college basketball scene is calling it a career. Hall of fame coach Jay Wright announced he will be retiring following a 21 year run at Villanova as the men’s basketball coach.
The 60 year old had been with the Wildcats since 2001 and guided them through one of the most successful periods in program history. A two time coach of the year winner, with two national championships and 4 Final Four appearances, Wright’s teams went a combined 520-197 during his tenure, good for a .725 win percentage.
Any successor would have some massive shoes to fill. Which is why it surprised some that rather than conduct a national search for their next head coach, the university immediately appointed 37 year old Kyle Neptune as the next Wildcats bench boss.
While Villanova would have had no shortage of qualified candidates to choose from had they gone with an outside hire, the university opted instead for a familiar face around campus.
Following a collegiate playing career under Billy Taylor at Lehigh, Neptune enjoyed a cup of coffee in the Lithuanian and Puerto Rican professional leagues. It was in 2008 that the Brooklyn native first joined Coach Wright’s staff at Villanova as a video coordinator.
After a successful two year run where he was praised for his work ethic, Neptune left to join Joe Mihalich’s staff at Niagara for three seasons as an assistant coach. But it wouldn’t be long until the allure of a national powerhouse basketball program would entice the former point guard to move back to Pennsylvania and rejoin the Wildcats staff. This time as an assistant coach.
During his second stint with the team, Villanova captured 5 Big East titles, and 2 national championships in 2016 and 2018. In total, Neptune would spend 8 seasons as an assistant under coach Wright, before accepting the head coach position at Fordham University in the Bronx.
Following a 9-22 season in 2019-20, and a 2-12 record in a COVID shortened 2020-21 campaign, the Rams showed marked improvement under the first time head coach. Neptune’s squad would go 16-16 and finish in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic 10 conference.
Young by coaching standards, and standing an imposing 6’5” tall, Neptune’s youthful energy made an immediate impact on the recruiting trail. Fordham was able to secure 7 transfers, and landed guard Ahmad Harrison as part of their 2021 recruiting class.
With a change in culture and coaching philosophy, the Rams saw drastic on-court improvement for a team which had finished in last place in their conference every season since 2017. The 14 win improvement was the single largest single season win gain in program history.
While Fordham struggled at times offensively, Neptune’s impact on the team’s defensive schemes yielded immediate results. The Rams held opponents to only 66.8pts per game, while averaging 95.1 points per 100 possessions against according to KenPom, which was the 41st best rate in Div 1.
As a result, the freshman coach was a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award which is presented annually to the nation’s top first year head coach. Ultimately Jacksonville’s Jordan Mincy would claim the award, but the nomination was the first indication that Neptune’s star was on the rise.
“When looking for a successor, we wanted a candidate who could navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics and keep Villanova in a position of strength — now and in the future,” said athletic director Mark Jackson. “After meeting with several exceptional candidates, we found all those attributes and more in Kyle Neptune. Kyle quickly stood out for his basketball knowledge, recruiting savvy and natural ability to connect with student-athletes and coaches.”
Because of his familiarity with Villanova’s systems, and his defensive acumen, it’s highly likely the Wildcats won’t miss a beat on defense under their new head coach. What remains to be seen however is what effect Wright’s retirement may have on the incoming recruit class, as well as players on their current roster.
6’3” guard Collin Gillespie, who averaged 15.6pts and 3.8 rebounds per game in 2021-22 has already declared for the NBA draft. While the status of incoming recruits Cam Whitmore (6’6” SF, 5 star), Mark Armstrong (6’2” G, 4 star), and Brendan Hausen (6’4” G, 4 star) remains up in the air in the aftermath of Wright’s announcement.
The silver lining in the head coaching transition for Villanova is that Jay Wright won’t be leaving for another school or NBA coaching opportunity. Instead, he will be staying at the school as a special assistant to the university’s president.
What his particular duties will include hasn’t been formally announced as of yet. However, his presence on campus will allow for a smooth transfer of power, while also potentially playing a role in ensuring that current players and incoming recruits or transfers may not develop cold feet about their commitment.
Familiarity with the school, campus, and the history of the program are all huge boosts to Kyle Neptune’s stock. And though Wright’s departure is a massive hole to fill for the Wildcats, one figures Villanova’s new coach will benefit from having one of the brightest basketball minds in the nation only a short walk away from his office should he need him.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner