Acaden Lewis holds the keys to a Villanova run this week, next week, and next season

There is no ambivalence from Acaden Lewis about where he wants to go and how quickly he wants to get there.

Villanova is about to embark on a postseason run, first the Big East tournament this week and then, after a three-year drought, an appearance in the NCAA Tournament beginning next week. Lewis, the Wildcats’ star freshman point guard, will be perhaps the biggest reason the team does or doesn’t make a run in either event.

He has the highest usage rate on the team and finished the regular season with an impressive stat line of 12.5 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. Lewis, 20, was asked Tuesday to reflect on his first season in college, one that had a chance to be rewarded with the conference’s freshman of the year honor.

“I don’t really put too much into college accolades,” Lewis said. “My goal is to be an NBA player. All of that is cool. I appreciate second team and the Big East freshman of the year, if I win it or if I don’t. It’s really cool and it’s an honor. I’m happy for it, and people really appreciate me and show a lot of love.”

He was talking about the text messages and social media direct messages that flooded in after he was named second-team all-conference. (He did not win the freshman of the year award announced Wednesday. That went to Marquette’s Nigel James Jr.)

It is there, on social media, where Lewis routinely shares videos and other posts that tout his first-round NBA draft candidacy. But it’s hard to find Lewis’ name on many first-round mock drafts. And it’s unclear at this point if he will be a one-and-done prospect, a possibility that always existed when Villanova pounced on Lewis after he decided to reopen his recruiting last April. Initially, he had committed to Kentucky as a top 30 prospect in the 2025 class.

Despite saying the quiet part out loud, Lewis hasn’t carried himself as some diva NBA prospect who isn’t engaged. He has put together an impressive regular season that he capped Saturday with 14 points and a season-high 12 assists in 34 minutes in Villanova’s 91-78 win over Xavier. It was his first double-double of the season.

» READ MORE: Duke Brennan, Villanova’s faith leader, closes the regular season with another double-double in win over Xavier

Villanova will need more of that at Madison Square Garden this week and wherever the NCAA Tournament committee decides to place them next week.

“I’m excited,” Lewis said. “Big games have always been my thing. I love big games. I love big events. I love crowds. It doesn’t get much better than MSG.”

Lewis, a native of Washington, said he’s looking forward to playing in the NCAA Tournament. He was asked about his favorite March Madness memories Tuesday and rattled off some recent thrillers, like Houston’s rally to beat Duke in the Final Four last year, Fairleigh Dickinson’s upset of Purdue in 2023, and Kansas’ title game victory over North Carolina in 2022, which Lewis called the best game he’s ever seen.

Kansas’ opponent in the national semifinal that year was Villanova. It was Jay Wright’s last game, and the most recent NCAA Tournament game the Wildcats have played in.

That will change next week. It is not expected to be a long run, but it is March, and anything is possible.

And while Villanova fans are surely happy to be back watching meaningful basketball in March, it isn’t too early to look to the future. The season could be over in fewer than 10 days, and in modern college basketball, that means it’s time to consider what Kevin Willard’s team might look like next season. It is why Villanova has a general manager, Baker Dunleavy, to start working on this stuff while the coaching staff focuses on the games ahead.

The ball is in Lewis’ court in those games, and also beyond. The offseason hinges on his decisions: whether to stay in college or go to the draft, or, if he stays in school, whether to stay at Villanova or hit the transfer portal.

» READ MORE: Villanova freshman Acaden Lewis is often praised for using his ‘off’ right hand. He’s actually right-handed.

Villanova does not have any players under contract for the 2026-27 season. Multiyear deals are starting to pop up at different places, but not yet for Willard’s Wildcats. Villanova more than likely will be able to put together a competitive offer to keep Lewis around, even if his salary ends up costing something like 20% of Villanova’s roster budget. Point guards are that important, and Villanova has its eyes on retaining its core group, Lewis included, and filling in holes via the portal.

From a financial standpoint, Lewis’ market in college could get into the range of the salary slot for the back end of the first round of the draft (more than $2 million). Second-round picks, meanwhile, are not as likely to get guaranteed money. Could Lewis sneak into the first round? His shooting has left a little to be desired, but his playmaking abilities are there.

These decisions are still a few weeks away. The portal, for example, doesn’t open until April 7, and the draft declaration deadline is a few weeks later. Lewis and his representation will have the final say in all of it, though he wasn’t interested in talking this week about the hypotheticals.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” Lewis said. “I’m just here and being where my feet are, just ready to play basketball with my teammates. I think it would be selfish to even think about certain stuff like that. There’s guys that won’t be back here next year. It’s the last time this team will ever play together, even if everybody stays that’s eligible. I’ll never play with [Devin Askew] again. I’ll never play with Duke [Brennan] again.

“This team is special to me. It’s my first team ever in college and it’s a great group of guys that I don’t take for granted.”

Lewis said worrying about the things he can’t control could cause him anxiety, so he doesn’t do it.

“My goal,” he added, “is just to keep working and hopefully be in the NBA pretty soon.”

How soon? Villanova hopes it’s at least another year away.