Former Temple SF Zion Stanford commits to Villanova

Former Temple small forward Zion Stanford committed to Villanova out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. He played two seasons with the Owls.

Stanford had a breakout season in 2024-25 with Temple. He put up 13.1 points per game to go along with 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a shooting percentage of 45.5% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range.

As a member of the Class of 2023, Stanford was a three-star recruit out of Philadelphia (Pa.) West Catholic Prep, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 11 overall prospect in the state, the No. 66 small forward in the class and the No. 307 overall prospect in the class.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Zion Stanford commits to Villanova, Kevin Willard

Stanford will join a new-look Villanova team that just hired Kevin Willard. Willard left Maryland to take the Wildcats job this offseason.

Willard is fresh off a Sweet 16 run, Maryland’s first since 2016. He took the Terrapins to two NCAA tournaments in three seasons, winning more than 60 games and finishing with a 32-28 record in the Big Ten.

Willard put together his best team in 2024-25 at Maryland, landing five-star forward Derik Queen in the 2024 recruiting class. Queen hit the game-winning shot to knock out Colorado State and send Maryland to the Sweet 16.

He takes over a Villanova program that has struggled since Jay Wright’s retirement. The Wildcats have not been back to the Big Dance since Wright’s Final Four trip in 2022. In three seasons under Neptune, Villanova was 54-47.