Jay Wright reacts to news of Villanova hiring Kyle Neptune

News of Jay Wright’s retirement from Villanova shook the college basketball world Wednesday. After Villanova announced his successor, he took to Twitter to react.

Fordham head coach Kyle Neptune is taking over for Wright, the university confirmed Wednesday night. Neptune worked under Wright for 10 years, starting as a video coordinator from 2008-10 before returning as an assistant from 2013-21. He just wrapped up his first — and only season with the Rams.

After the press release came out, Wright took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the succession plan.

We're excited to turn the reins of this treasure of a program over to @kyleneptune . Kyle was a part of our staff for 10 years , helped us win two national titles and returns after a successful season @FordhamMBB . He understands our culture and will keep it strong . pic.twitter.com/Nf6n1B5Gcv

— Jay Wright (@VUCoachJWright) April 21, 2022

“We’re excited to turn the reins of this treasure of a program over to @kyleneptune,” Wright tweeted. “Kyle was a part of our staff for 10 years, helped us win two national titles and returns after a successful season [with] @FordhamMBB. He understands our culture and will keep it strong.”

Jay Wright to retire, Kyle Neptune to take over at Villanova

The Wildcats officially announced Neptune’s hiring Wednesday, and athletic director Mark Jackson explained the decision to bring Neptune back to campus.

“When looking for a successor, we wanted a candidate who could navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics and keep Villanova in a position of strength — now and in the future,” Jackson said in a statement. “After meeting with several exceptional candidates, we found all those attributes and more in Kyle Neptune. Kyle quickly stood out for his basketball knowledge, recruiting savvy and natural ability to connect with student-athletes and coaches.”

Wright is staying on at Villanova away from the court, though. In the press release, the university announced he’ll serve as a special assistant to the president and help with fundraising, advising and education, among other duties.

Neptune took the Rams to a 16-16 overall record in this season, including an 8-10 record in Atlantic 10 action. It was his first head coaching job, and now he has the task of taking over for Wright, who spent 21 years on the Villanova sidelines.

After playing college basketball at Lehigh, Neptune got into coaching after a brief professional career in Europe and in Puerto Rico. Villanova gave him his first opportunity as a video coordinator from 2008-10 before he became a full-time assistant at Niagara. He spent three seasons there before joining Wright’s bench. While with the Wildcats, Neptune was part of two national championships in 2016 and 2018, meaning he knows what it takes to succeed at Villanova.