Villanova’s Eric Paschall has pro potential, but NBA scouts have a few questions

There might be some questions about how some of Eric Paschall’s skills will translate at the next level, but that shouldn’t take away what he has accomplished at Villanova.

And this season, the 6-foot-8, 255-pound Paschall has been performing at a high level while rarely leaving the court, especially lately.

Paschall is averaging 16.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in a team-high 34.6 minutes per game. Since the Wildcats began Big East play, he has averaged 38.3 minutes as Villanova has opened with a 4-0 conference record. He is also averaging 20.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in those four games.

Another major positive is that Paschall, who played his first season at Fordham before transferring to Villanova, has increased his three-point percentage each season with the Wildcats. He shot .279 as a redshirt sophomore, .356 in last year’s national-championship season and now .388 this season.

What is more impressive is that Paschall has shown he can be a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter and also hit the shot off the dribble.

His continued three-point ability will be one of his better selling points.

The one question about him on the next level will be his position. Paschall has the type of game to be a stretch four at the next level, but does he have the size and ability to defend power forwards, and does he have the quickness to defend small forwards?

This much is clear: NBA scouts are monitoring his progress.

“He has plenty of feelers around the league, a fifth-year senior strong as a bull,” said one scout. “The little quandary is that he is an undersized four, and I am not sure he is a great athlete."

The scout feels that Paschall, despite having played well against the highest level of competition, will need success in postseason camps to improve his stock.

“He is a guy who will factor in the postseason whether at Portsmouth and/or Chicago and get some looks,” the scout said, referring to the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament and the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. “He has been seen as much as anybody and is somebody in the NBA who could have two-way [contract] options.”

Two-way players compete for an NBA team as many as 45 days, and the rest of the time in the NBA G League.

Whatever his future, Paschall has been a highly successful college player, one whose importance is evident by his playing time.