7-foot-3 Italian center commits to Villanova

On Saturday afternoon, 7-foot-3 Italian center Luigi Suigo officially withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft and committed to playing college basketball at Villanova in 2026/27.

The 19-year-old from Tradate, Varese, Italy, had been evaluating his professional options throughout the draft process after receiving an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine, where he was one of 73 participants. Suigo entered the withdrawal deadline on June 13 before ultimately deciding to play college basketball under head coach Kevin Willard.

Suigo arrived in the draft process as a potential late first-round or early second-round selection. ESPN ranked him No. 32 on its draft board, and his measurements at the combine further boosted interest from NBA teams. He was officially measured at 7-foot-3 without shoes and weighed 289 pounds, making him one of the largest prospects in the draft class.

Before making the move to the Wildcats, Suigo spent the 2025-26 season with BC Mega Basket, also known as Mega Superbet, in the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) League. Across 32 games, he averaged 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 18.1 minutes per game.

His commitment brings a new dimension to Villanova’s frontcourt. Before Suigo’s arrival, redshirt freshman Nico Onyekwere was the Wildcats’ primary returning center. The addition gives Villanova a proven professional big man with size, interior presence and shot-blocking ability.

Suigo joins a roster that already includes returning players Tyler Perkins, Matt Hodge and Onyekwere. The Wildcats also strengthened their lineup through the transfer portal with forwards Kwame Evans Jr. from Oregon and Devin Royal from Ohio State, along with guards Elijah Crawford from UIC, Jake Fiegen from Cornell and Darryl “Buddy” Simmons II from St. Bonaventure. Freshman guard Adam Oumiddoch is also set to join the program.

In a fitting twist, Suigo’s first season with Villanova will begin in his home country. The Wildcats are scheduled to open the 2026-27 campaign against Notre Dame on Nov. 1 at the Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome.

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