Omari Spellman, Villanova.
Getting To Know .... Villanova's Omari Spellman
By SEAN BRENNAN
Special to BIGEAST.com
BIGEAST.com spent a few minutes chatting with Villanova big man Omari Spellman recently and we talked about his baptism in college basketball this season. The redshirt freshman with the “O Boogie” Twitter name talks about how it felt last season being on the outside looking in at Villanova’s season, what it feels like to be a major contributor to the No. 1 team in the nation this season, how his teammates are making him a better player practice-by-practice and why Butler, Saturday’s opponent and the only team to beat the Wildcats this season, is not yet circled on the ‘Cats calendar.
BIGEAST.com: Did you come into this year with any specific goals in mind for your first season?
SPELLMAN: “I actually came in with a pretty blank slate. I just want to try to work better and be as good as I can be. Whatever that gets me I’m going to be OK with.”
BIGEAST.com: You came into your freshman season last year thinking you were going to be an integral part of the the Wildcats’ season and then you’re ruled ineligible by the NCAA. How tough was that for you to deal with?
SPELLMAN: “It was very hard because I wanted to be there for my teammates and coaches on gameday and not just in practice. It was hard not being able to go out there and compete with my guys when it mattered the most.”
BIGEAST.com: So what did you do during your down season?
SPELLMAN: “Well, I lost 50 pounds and I just continued to get in better shape and also learn our system better. I did whatever I had to do to make an impact on this team this year. Just keep on working. I just really used it as a year to really get better, work on my skills and come back this year better than I would have been last year.”
BIGEAST.com: Villanova has always been known for its supreme guard play from such past stars as Scottie Reynolds, Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono to name but a few. Outside of Daniel Ochefu a couple of years ago, Nova big men don’t gain a lot of recognition or have the impact the guards do. But here you are averaging 11 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds to go along with a team-best 33 blocks. That’s not to mention 35 three-pointers from a 6-9, 240-pounder. So how does it feel to, literally, be a big man on campus these days for the Wildcats?
SPELLMAN: “It’s definitely different. It’s been an adjustment but it’s a learning experience that I gladly took on and I really think it’s paying off.”
BIGEAST.com: You’re as comfortable mixing it up in the paint as you are stepping out and knocking down shots from the perimeter. Where do you like playing more, inside or outside?
SPELLMAN: “Whatever the defense gives me, whatever the game plan is for that day, that’s what I’ll go to. If the coaching staff likes my matchup more on the inside, then that’s fine. But if the advantage is for me to be on the perimeter shooting, then I can do both.”
BIGEAST.com: Do you like playing one end of the floor over the other, either making the big shot or coming up with a great defensive play to thwart your opponent?
SPELLMAN: “I just want to make the right play to win the game. If I have to block someone’s shot, take a charge or box out properly to win us a game, then I’m definitely going to do that. If I have to hit a three, get an offensive rebound or make a pass, it doesn’t matter either way. I just want to win a game.”
BIGEAST.com: Being around such a talented group of players, how much has that helped your development since arriving on campus?
SPELLMAN: “Oh that has definitely made me a lot better because it’s so competitive in practice. We really get after each other in practice and we compete at a high level and that has all helped me to get better.”
BIGEAST.com: Last year you had to watch Villanova rack up another 30-win season, win its fifth straight BIG EAST regular-season championship, take the BIG EAST tournament crown and head to the NCAAs yet again. How much do you want to be part of that kind of run this year?
SPELLMAN: “I’m just looking forward to being with my guys and be in that battle with them.”
BIGEAST.com: Talk about the difference between last year and now this year, playing in your first season and starring for the No. 1 team in the country. Does it seem a bit surreal?
SPELLMAN: “I don’t really think about it because coach (Jay Wright) always tells us that it doesn’t matter if we’re No. 1 or we’re unranked because we got to play every game like it’s our last game. So I don’t really buy into being No. 1 in the country.”
BIGEAST.com: You have six double-doubles this year already. Are you feeling more and more confident each time you step on the court?
SPELLMAN: “I just go out and play and if the numbers come out looking good then that’s good. I just did the best I could in that game.”
BIGEAST.com: You have St. John’s Wednesday night (7 p.m., CBSSN) and first you have to take care of business there. But then Saturday you host a Butler team that handed Villanova its only loss of the season and also swept the season series last year. Is that game circled on your schedule?
SPELLMAN: “Right now the biggest circle on our schedule is St. John’s. After we play St. John’s then the next circle will be Butler and after we play Butler the biggest circle will be the game after that.”