Villanova’s Jay Wright is retiring, per report

One of many prime coaches in males’s school basketball is retiring. Villanova’s Jay Wright is asking it a profession at age-60 after main the Wildcats to the Closing 4 this previous season.

NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the information and stated Wright will make a closing determination quickly. Stadium’s Jeff Goodman confirmed the information and stated Wright is asking a group assembly to tell his gamers.

Villanova is about to rent Fordham head coach Kyle Neptune, based on Goodman. Neptune was beforehand an assistant below Wright at Villanova earlier than leaving final season to take his first head teaching job.

Males’s school basketball misplaced North Carolina head coach Roy Williams to shocking retirement earlier than final season. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski famously held a retirement tour this previous season and has now given up his job to former assistant Jon Scheyer after dropping to UNC within the Closing 4.

Wright led Villanova to nationwide championships in 2016 and 2018. He turned head coach at Villanova in 2001 after seven seasons at Hofstra. He compiled a 520-197 document with the Wildcats, which is sweet for a successful share of 72.5 p.c.

A senior-laden group led the Wildcats to a Large East event championship and Wright’s fourth Closing 4 look with this system this previous season. Villanova has three top-100 recruits coming in for subsequent season, led by McDonald’s All-American ahead Cam Whitmore. It will likely be fascinating to see if Neptune can retain the incoming expertise headed to this system.

Fifth-year seniors Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels are the most important departures from the group as a result of commencement. Gillespie was the Large East Participant of the Yr this previous season. Villanova’s season ended to Kansas within the Closing 4 earlier than the Jayhawks gained the nationwide title.

Wright led Villanova to eight Large East common season titles and 5 convention event titles. He produced quite a few NBA gamers, together with Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson and Phoenix Suns wing Mikal Bridges, who each starred for the 2018 group. Wright’s tenure at Villanova will maybe greatest be remembered for Kris Jenkins’ game-winning buzzer-beater to stun North Carolina and win Wright’s first nationwide title again in 2016. Our buddies at Secret Base made a video about that.

Who’s Kyle Neptune: Meet Villanova’s new coach

Picture by G Fiume/Getty Pictures

Neptune is a 37-year-old from Brooklyn who was a first-year head coach at Fordham final season. He led his group to a 16-16 document within the A-10. Neptune was beforehand an assistant below Wright at Villanova from 2013–2021. He started his teaching profession at Villanova as a video coordinator in 2008.

As a participant, Neptune performed 4 years at Lehigh after which performed professionally in Lithuania and Puerto Rico.

We’ll replace this story because it develops.