Villanova standouts Eric Paschall and Phil Booth just can’t seem to get away
from each other.
After spending the past four years together as Wildcat teammates, the duo was
featured in the same pre-draft workout with the 76ers.
“When my agent told me, ‘Yeah, Phil’s in your workout,’ I just started
laughing,” Paschall said Saturday in Camden. “I can’t get away from this kid no
matter what.”
With pre-draft season taking both Villanova champions on a nationwide workout
circuit, Booth felt that the Sixers’ practice facility was the perfect place to
reunite – just a dozen miles from their former Main Line stomping grounds.
“Of all places, we come back to Philly to work out together,” Booth said. “It’s
really cool to be back on the court together, playing against each other,
playing with each other.”
It’s safe to say the pair embraced the serendipitous meeting. As Paschall and
Booth each said, separately:
“That’s my guy.”
Friends off the court, and proven competitors on it, Paschall and Booth each
played integral roles in Villanova’s 2016 and 2018 championship runs.
Paschall scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds in the 2018 title win over
Michigan, while Booth led the Cats in scoring with 20 points over North Carolina
in the 2016 National Final.
As for the influence such elite competition played in their respective
development? Booth said it best:
“I think that translates well to the next level.”
Look no further than the NBA Finals for validation of Villanova’s pipeline to
the pros, as former Wildcat Kyle Lowry has strung together three straight
double-digit performances.
Villanova also boasts alumni in the NBA including Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson,
Josh Hart, and Donte DiVencenzo, among others.
“They try to make you the best defensive player, offensive player, they teach
you how to play hard, rebound, do all the little things on the court,” Booth
said of his alma mater.
Long as the pre-draft road may be, Paschall and Booth are ready to take their
college experiences, and the bond they fostered, to the next level – whether
somehow together again, or apart.
Media Content:
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Taxonomy: NBA Draft, Pre-Draft Workout, Villanova
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