In the Nova Notebook Summer Series we profile one of the newest Wildcats, freshman forward Nnanna Njoku.
 
Although Nnanna Njoku spent the early years of his life in Pennsylvania and has now returned there to attend Villanova, he feels a special attachment to his adopted state of Delaware.
 
"I would say that I found myself in Delaware," says the product of the Sanford School who was named the state's 2021 Gatorade High School Player of the Year. "I made a lot of lifelong friends in Delaware, met my girlfriend there, so I would say that I feel that strong tie to Delaware."
 
Several of the state's brightest prep basketball stars have excelled at Villanova, including Will Sheridan and 2018 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and 2021 NBA champion Donte DiVincenzo. That's a fact that Njoku knew well before making a verbal commitment to the Wildcats in April 2020.
 
"I do take pride in representing Delaware," he says. "I would say it was a little bit of a humbling experience. Some people talk down Delaware, say that it's a small state. But I love everything about it – the people there, how small it is, everyone knows everyone. I really do love it."
 
The proximity of Newark, Del., to Delaware County, Pennsylvania, home of Villanova, gave Njoku a comfort level with making the decision to attend the University even when the COVID-19 pandemic made the usual official in-person visit an impossibility. Prior unofficial visits to campus to take in the Wildcats' annual "Hoops Mania" preseason event offered an introduction that played a role in his ultimate selection.
 
"On those Hoops Mania visits, I was able to meet a lot of people," he says. "I was familiar with the basketball program since I had been a fan since I was a kid. Being able to meet the people here pretty much told me what life would be like on campus. I could tell it was like a family here, they take care of you and life after basketball is a priority.
 
"Those were all the things I wanted to hear so it really wasn't hard to make that decision when I did."
 
The athletic path Njoku charted through his youth included other ventures, including one that was closest to his heart in the early days.
 
"As a kid basketball wasn't even my first sport," he says. "I loved baseball, loved lacrosse and loved football."
 
A 6-9 lacrosse player?
 
"A lot of people think it's really weird, but I've been playing since I was a kid and enjoy the game," he says.
 
A growth spurt that came when he was in the sixth grade, changed the calculus however.
 
"I went from 5-9 to 6-4," he states. "I thought I might have to change the sport. I started playing basketball in the middle of the sixth grade and it just carried on from there. I developed my game, and I had a lot of great people in my corner. I ended becoming a lot better player than I thought I would be."
 
No one was more instrumental than his mother.
 
"My mom is a very hardworking lady," states Njoku. "She does everything she can to go above and beyond for me and my sisters. She's my inspiration. When I'm a little bit down and want to work harder, I always call her. We talk about everything, and she really pushes me to be the best I can be."
 
By the time he reached the eighth grade, it was apparent that Njoku had developed his game to the point where a college scholarship was a viable possibility. A visit to the Sanford School with his family helped convince them that this was the best place for him as he moved into the high school years.
 
Between his sophomore and junior years at Sanford, Njoku and some of his Sanford teammates played at the Philly Live tournament before dozens of college coaches in a live recruiting period. One of them was Jay Wright. Following a 30-point outburst on a that Friday night, eight schools offered a scholarship, six more than had offered him prior to that event.
 
One of those offers came from Villanova. It was the one he ultimately accepted just weeks into the pandemic in April 2020. With his future destination settled, Njoku put his energy into helping Sanford thrive when its season began.
 
"I just knew that I was blessed to be in the situation I was in," Njoku states. "Going into (2020-21), I just tried to do everything for my teammates. I tried to get our team the most exposure by playing well, playing hard. It was more of me playing for them because I knew where I was going to go."
 
He produced an impressive stat line that included per game averages of 20.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while leading Sanford to a 16-2 record and the state championship. For good measure, he carried a 3.2 grade point average.
 
In June, Njoku participated in the school's commencement exercises.
 
"That was amazing," Njoku stated. "It's really surreal to have graduated high school. Leading up to it, I kept telling myself, 'it's just graduation.' Then, when you get up on the stage, hear them call your name and look out to see your family crying and clapping, it's a different type of feeling. You feel like you really accomplished something."
 
These days, Njoku is settling in at Villanova and learning what basketball here is all about.
 
"It literally feels like I've been here for years even though it's only been weeks," he says. "The guys are really easy to talk to, really easy to be around. It's like we're one big family. That's what I was expecting and that's exactly what I've experienced."
 
Summer workouts are typically challenging for newcomers as strategic concepts are introduced. Njoku is no exception.
 
"It's very difficult," he states. "I mess up a lot in practice. All they tell me is to keep playing hard. Mistakes are going to be made. With Villanova's defensive and offensive philosophies, it's a lot of learning. It's going to take some time to get used to.
 
"I'm not really worried about it. I'll pick it up as time goes on and I'm loving everything about the process."
 
Two native sons of Delaware, Sheridan and DiVincenzo, both made indelible contributions to 21^st century Villanova Basketball. There's plenty of reason to believe the program's latest addition from the First State can add to that legacy.