Villanova lands Maryland transfer and Roman Catholic grad Hakim Hart

The Villanova Wildcats have picked up another piece via the transfer portal.

Maryland senior transfer Hakim Hart will transfer to Villanova should he choose to stay in college. Hart announced the news Friday via Instagram. The 6-foot-8 guard chose Villanova out of a final four that included Kansas, Gonzaga, and Miami.

“I chose to come to Villanova because I felt like it was a great fit for me,” Hart said. “Plus, it’s close to home so it gives me the opportunity to win championships for my hometown.”

Hart declared for the NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal on March 23, a week after the Terrapins lost to Alabama in the NCAA tournament. He is not projected to be drafted. The deadline to withdraw from the draft is June 1.

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Hart played four seasons at Maryland. As a senior, he started all 35 games and averaged 11.4 points and 4.1 rebounds, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention. He is best known for his defense and his catch-and-shoot three-point shooting ability. Hart will have one year of eligibility remaining.

“I feel like I will fit in pretty well with my size and versatility,” Hart said. “So I’ll be able to guard one through four and play one to four on offense.”

For Hart, choosing Villanova represents a homecoming. He is a Philadelphia native who graduated from Roman Catholic and led the Cahillites to back-to-back Catholic League titles.He was named the Catholic League Player of the Year as a senior. He said he’s looking forward to the opportunity of playing in front of his family again at Villanova.

Hart is the second player to transfer to Villanova this offseason, as Kyle Neptune and the Wildcats received a commitment from former Washington State guard TJ Bamba last week. Villanova now has two open scholarships. The nation’s top transfer, Hunter Dickinson, will visit Villanova on Friday, April 28, and 2023 four-star forward Brady Dunlap has the Wildcats in his final five schools after decommitting from Notre Dame in January.

While the Villanova roster is not complete, Hart will likely step in for the graduated Brandon Slater should he choose to stay in college. With the current roster, Villanova’s starting lineup projects as Mark Armstrong, Justin Moore, Bamba, Hart, and Eric Dixon at center. The Wildcats are still looking for size and depth, as Dixon is the only returning Wildcat over 6-foot-5 who averaged more than seven minutes per game last season.

“I feel like I’ve got a pretty good overall game, I can do every aspect on the court,” Hart said. “I bring a lot of energy towards the crowds. [I’m] just an overall competitor, I play to win championships.”