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Jensen: What about Villanova and the NBA draft?

One of the story lines that emerged from the NBA draft was "How about those plucky Villanova Wildcats, winning a national title without any drafted players!"

One of the story lines that emerged from the NBA draft was "How about those plucky Villanova Wildcats, winning a national title without any drafted players!"

No, no, a million times, no.

Yes, Jay Wright deserves every bit of credit he's gotten. Wright pushed all the right X and O buttons, continually outcoaching some very impressive coaches. Villanova also won it all because it had the most depth of talent. Some of that talent you saw surely will end up in the NBA.

Seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu weren't drafted - and weren't expected to be - but they picked up free-agent deals in an instant. The fact that San Antonio reportedly is throwing a little guaranteed money at Arcidiacono indicates the Spurs think he's got a shot. And if there's a roster spot that fits Ochefu with the Wizards, he will be a difficult guy to cut.

Yes, it's legitimate to point out that Villanova succeeded because it had veterans such as those two leading the way. There's also close to a 100 percent chance Villanova will have players drafted in the future from this team.

Josh Hart was smart enough to use the new system and test the proverbial waters and see he wasn't perceived as first-round material. Colleague Joe Juliano, our Villanova beat writer, told me the night Hart announced he was staying: "Knowing Hart, he will be a fanatic working on [his] handle and outside shot. If he can pick those two areas up, with his motor, rebounding, and defense, he could be a first-rounder."

NBA scouts also will be watching Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges very carefully, and Kris Jenkins will have the chance to prove his shooting belongs in the NBA. I wouldn't rule out Phil Booth's eventually getting that same opportunity - summer league, possible camp invite, etc. Being the leading scorer in the NCAA title game was no fluke.

The draft has to be looked at realistically. Last year, 13 of the last 14 second-round draft choices didn't play in the league. Many were chosen expressly to keep overseas. Others simply didn't make it. It makes more sense for teams to draft somebody with future potential and keep them overseas off their books while they develop. That's closer to the NHL draft, in which teams keep the rights of their draftees even if they don't sign. (Meanwhile, 10 undrafted players did play at least a couple of games in the league as a rookie. All were college players.)

In a sense, the NBA draft is a one-round draft. That's where the guaranteed money is. DeAndre' Bembry of St. Joseph's went 21st to Atlanta - he's still a Hawk - and he's now a guaranteed millionaire a few times over. (Atlanta still got a bargain.) St. Joseph's teammate Isaiah Miles, undrafted, will be on Dallas' summer-league team.

It's not even that unusual for NCAA champions to have no draftees. Ed "Huck" Palmer did that research and pointed out Friday morning that Villanova is the fifth team in the last 25 years to have this happen. Palmer showed his work, pointing to 1994 Arkansas, 1997 Arizona, 2006 Florida, and 2010 Duke, and added that the Duke team eventually had seven play in the NBA, while Florida had three lottery picks a year later after it repeated. (Ironically, Villanova had three players drafted in 1997!)

What would be historic is if Villanova ended up with no players who eventually get drafted.  But let's expect history to validate what your eyes saw during the NCAAs, that even if 2015-16 Villanova never has a lottery pick, that group had both the seniors and the most variety of talent.

mjensen@phillynews.com

@jensenoffcampus