Villanova guard and Philly native Hakim Hart’s college hoops career is about to come full circle

The graduate student who transferred to the Wildcats from Maryland will play against his former team Friday in the first matchup between the two schools in 12 years.

Philly's Hakim Hart (right), who joined Villanova in the offseason, will go against his former team in Maryland when the Wildcats host at the Terrapins at the Finneran Pavilion on Friday night.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

by Brooke Ackerman

Published Nov. 16, 2023, 1:47 p.m. ET

When a college athlete enters the transfer portal, there are several factors that can go into a decision, including the school’s reputation, the academic caliber of the university, the culture of the program.

For Villanova’s Hakim Hart, there was one factor that stood out in the choice he made this year — proximity to Philadelphia.

Hart grew up less than 30 minutes from Villanova’s campus. He was a star at Roman Catholic, where he averaged 21.1 points and 6.7 rebounds during his senior year, earning him the Markward Award as the Philadelphia Catholic League Player of the Year.

After graduating from Roman in 2019, Hart took his talents down I-95 to the University of Maryland, as a guard for the Terrapins.

He spent four years at Maryland, and during his final season he averaged a career-best 11.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He started in all 35 games and gained an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection.

“I had a great time [at Maryland],” said Hart. “They made me the player I am today. It was a very hardworking team. They push you to your limit.”

But after four years of being away, Hart was ready for a change in his final season, as a graduate student.

He was ready to come home.

“It means the most to me” to be home, he said. “Now a lot of other family members that couldn’t come to my Maryland games can come to my Villanova games, and that just means the world to me.”

Offensively, he’s literally a ‘Swiss Army knife.’ He can dribble, pass, shoot, handle the ball, he does it all.”
Villanova coach Kyle Neptune

Hart’s college career comes full circle when Villanova (2-1) hosts Maryland (1-2) at the Finneran Pavilion on Friday (8:30 p.m., FS1). It will be the first matchup between the teams in 12 years.

For Hart, his worlds colliding won’t make a difference in what he plans to do on the court.

“Every game I’m just trying to win,” Hart said. “I will see [the Maryland game] no differently than the others. I’m just locked into the game.”

After three games as a Wildcat, Hart is averaging 4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in just under 18 minutes of action. In Villanova’s opening game against American, Hart had 11 points and six rebounds.

“He’s a huge piece of what we do,” Villanova coach Kyle Neptune said. “He can guard bigger guys because of his size [6-foot-8] and smaller guys because he’s really quick and intelligent. And offensively, he’s literally a ‘Swiss Army knife.’ He can dribble, pass, shoot, handle the ball. He does it all.”

Though Hart brings size and versatility to the Wildcats’ roster, he was recruited for far more than just his abilities on the court.

“We try to recruit high-character guys,” Neptune said. “It’s not something that we bend on. He’s just a high-character person, comes from a great family. … He’s a little bit more of the quiet type, but you know, he’s well-loved [here].”

Hart had an immediate impact on the team’s culture.

“I’m one of the funniest guys [on the team],” Hart said. “I get a laugh out of everyone. I’m not always cracking jokes, [being funny] is just who I am as a person.”

Now fully engrossed in the Villanova basketball culture, Hart will continue to bring his versatility to the Finn — alongside those jokes in the locker room.

“Everybody gets into [Villanova basketball],” Hart said. “My coaches, the players, the fans, the whole organization has been fun to play in. … It’s just a very good atmosphere.”