Report: Villanova in the mix to land 7-footer from N.C. State

Isaiah Miranda is expected to pull his name from consideration in the NBA draft. He played two seasons at the Phelps School in Malvern.

Villanova coach Kyle Neptune has added added three high-major players from the transfer portal this offseason.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

by Gustav Elvin

Published May 29, 2023, 3:44 p.m. ET

Villanova has had a busy offseason in the men’s basketball transfer portal and the Wildcats may not be done just yet.

On Monday, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman listed Villanova among the schools that could be in the mix to land 7-foot-1 forward Isaiah Miranda. Miranda attended North Carolina State last season but did not play while redshirting. He is currently getting an NBA draft evaluation.

If Miranda pulls out of the draft as expected, Goodman says the big man will strongly consider Central Florida, Oklahoma State, Villanova, Georgetown, and Florida State as transfer options. Players taking part in the NBA draft process have until Wednesday to withdraw and maintain their college eligibility.

Miranda was rated a four-star recruit out of high school and was ranked No. 55 overall in the 2022 class in ESPN’s Top 100 recruiting database. A native of Rhode Island, Miranda played two seasons at the Phelps School in Malvern. He attended Southern California Academy in Los Angeles for his postgrad year before committing to N.C. State.

Villanova’s interest in Miranda should not come as a huge surprise, as the Wildcats have been in the market for a big man. Villanova was a finalist for Michigan transfer and former All-American Hunter Dickinson earlier this month. Dickinson will be going to Kansas. They were also involved with former Kansas big man Zuby Ejiofor, who ultimately landed at St. John’s, as well as 2024 four-star recruit Thomas Sorber out of Archbishop Ryan. Sorber committed to Georgetown on May 17 and could reclassify and play for the Hoyas next fall.

Villanova has added three high-major transfers thus far this offseason in guards TJ Bamba (Washington State) and Hakim Hart (Maryland), as well as big man Lance Ware (Kentucky). If Miranda chooses Villanova, he would be the third transfer with local connections to arrive on the Main Line. Hart played at Roman Catholic before attending Maryland, while Ware played his high school ball at Camden High.

Eric Dixon and Ware are expected to receive the lion’s share of the frontcourt minutes next season for Villanova, which has one available scholarship remaining.