The New York Knicks — featuring former Villanova Wildcats basketball players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges — secured the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973 with a Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
Brunson led the way for the Knicks as Finals MVP, averaging 32.6 points per game in the championship series. Hart and Bridges also played key roles as member’s of the Knicks’ starting five.
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Brunson and Bridges won two NCAA Tournament national championship titles with Villanova in 2016 and 2018. Hart was a member of the team for the Wildcats’ title victory in 2016.
The Villanova basketball program recognized each of these players with a social media post after the Knicks’ championship victory.
“NCAA Champions — NBA Champions,” Villanova wrote on X.
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After the Knicks’ series-clinching Game 5 victory, Hart shouted out former Villanova coach Jay Wright for preparing them for this moment.
“We’ve been built for this moment,” Hart said postgame. “I feel like definitely Coach Wright helped us be cut from a different cloth and no matter what the moment is, it’s never too big for us. That’s what we do. We were champions before at the college level, now we’re champions and brothers at the ultimate level.”
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Brunson scored a series-high 45 points in the Knicks’ Game 5 win. Hart had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Bridges chipped in with 14 points.
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