In most circumstances, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is a "be here now" kind of guy. It's an approach that is serving the former Villanova standout well as the hours count down toward Thursday night's National Basketball Association Draft (8 p.m. on 6ABC and ESPN).
 
            "I feel like I've been able to stay calm and collected, kind of just enjoy each day throughout the process," said Robinson-Earl, who earned third team All-American honors and shared BIG EAST Player of the Year honors with teammate Collin Gillespie in 2020-21 before entering the draft in April.
 
            "I feel like (Thursday) that this is going to hit me when you hear your name called. But I just think being able to enjoy this and stay in the moment is important so that's what I'm trying to do."
 
            A dose of anxiety and excitement would certainly be understandable given the circumstances. Most mock drafts suggest the 6-9 forward who came to Villanova after a year at Florida's IMG Academy will be selected in the latter stages of the first round or early stages of the second round. In recent weeks, Robinson-Earl has logged considerable air mileage traveling to workouts at various team facilities.
 
            It's been a whirlwind four months for Robinson-Earl, who helped the Wildcats post an 18-7 overall record, earn the BIG EAST regular season title and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Soon after declaring for the draft on April 9, Robinson-Earl went to Florida where he finished up the spring semester online while working on his NBA skill-set in the gym. He then went home to Kansas City for a stretch.
 
            "My schedule was pretty similar to what it was before – lifting three or four times a week, basketball five times a week," he stated. "I've been able to get in the gym and just get better every single day. Being able to make the adjustments have been great."
 
            More recently came the workouts in front of individual NBA teams.
 
            "Being able to compete against a lot of guys in the draft was fun," Robinson-Earl said. "I was able to learn from the front offices and I just tried to gain as much knowledge as I could."
 
            The two years Robinson-Earl spent in the Blue & White under the tutelage of head coach Jay Wright and his staff gave him a strong foundation as he stepped before NBA staff at the combine and with individual organizations.
 
            "I think Villanova absolutely prepares you for the most difficult situations you will find on and off the court," stated Robinson-Earl. "From being able to interview with teams to being able to work out and compete at the highest level, you're prepared. We do a lot of similar things at Villanova to what they do in the (NBA) workouts.
 
            "When you go to the specific workouts for teams, you just feel prepared for any situation that you may find."
 
            One of the networks Robinson-Earl has leaned upon is the group of recent Villanova products now playing in the NBA. Former teammate Saddiq Bey was in this position in 2020 before being selected with the No. 19 pick which landed him in Detroit. In 2019, Eric Paschall became a second-round selection of the Golden State Warriors. Both Bey and Paschall earned All-Rookie honors.
 
            "I've been able to talk with a few of the guys that have been drafted or are in the NBA now to gain any knowledge from them I can," he stated. "I'll be going into a situation where I'm a new person on the team, I'm going to have to learn a lot. Being able to soak up any knowledge I will just make the process easier."
 
            Even with no specific clarity on where he may land ("you hear certain teams like you but it's all kind of up in the air"), Robinson-Earl has tried to focus on the cool experiences he has had on this path. One of those came in the run-up to the draft, when he was able to work out alongside Paschal's Golden State teammate and current USA Senior Men's Basketball Team member, Draymond Green.
 
            "That was just a lot of fun, to be able to see how he puts the work in," he notes. "I just love the grind of trying to get better every single day."
 
            Robinson-Earl has also been in touch with his college coach, Jay Wright, sharing feedback as the draft approaches.
 
            "I know he's busy with USA Basketball, but we've stayed in touch throughout this process," he stated.
 
            The wait, of course, is nearly over.
 
            And though his outward appearance exudes calm, he acknowledges that Thursday night could be different.
 
            "I'm sure as we get closer, the nervousness and butterflies will be there," he notes. "I feel like it's good to have those things because it shows that you care about the situation. And I'm just going to try to enjoy the moment."