NCAA issue sidelines Villanova freshman Omari Spellman for Spain trip

Villanova's Omari Spellman, a five-star recruit, will not be allowed to play for the Wildcats when the team travels to Spain for a tour on Tuesday.

Spellman is academically eligible and cleared to practice with the team, according to Dana O'Neil of ESPN. However, one of the issues has to do with the timeline of when he began his ninth grade year.

The 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward attended two high schools in the New York area prior to moving back to Ohio. When Spellman switched to the second high school in New York, he was reclassified from a high school freshman to an eighth grader.

The St. Thomas More High School product was the top prospect in the state of Ohio and chose the Wildcats over Indiana, Ohio State, and UConn.

Villanova will play games in Madrid and Barcelona from Aug. 2-10. The summer trip gives the program an additional 10 practices according to NCAA rules, but the loophole can only be done every four years.