Tyler Perkins’ All-Big 5 honor hints at something bigger for Villanova

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 19: Tyler Perkins #4 of the Villanova Wildcats addresses the media during NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament practice day at Viejas Arena on March 19, 2026 in San Diego California. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tyler Perkins making All-Big 5 First Team feels like something Villanova fans have seen before.

For those who value every box out and contested rebound at the Finn, seeing a gritty 6-foot-4 guard earn top honors in the city is a familiar sight. Ten years ago, Josh Hart used a junior season on the All-Big 5 First Team as the foundation for a legendary senior year.

Hart’s junior stat line: 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 51.3% from the field, 35.7% from three, and 75.2% from the line.
Perkins’ junior stat line: 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, shooting 44.0% from the field, 36.9% from three, and 74.5% from the line.

Their stats look eerily similar, and the way they play is pretty much a mirror image, too. Perkins spent this past year matching Hart’s junior production while embodying the same “Nova Grit” that defines the program’s identity, especially under new(ish) head coach Kevin Willard.

This All-Big 5 recognition is more than just an award because it serves as a legitimate catalyst for a 2026-27 breakout. Hart parlayed his junior-year accolades into becoming the Big 5 and Big East Player of the Year as a senior, and Perkins has now established a similar status in the Philadelphia landscape.

He plays a downhill style of basketball that exhausts opponents. He combines a high motor with a unique ability to out-rebound players half a foot taller than himself. This honor validates his role as the primary engine of the roster. With Perkins officially returning for his final season, this acknowledgement could be exactly what he needs to keep the momentum going for him to transition from a reliable starter to the next Wildcats star.