The New York Knicks just added a fourth Villanova Wildcat to their roster Tuesday and they might not be stopping at four.
Kyle Lowry has been "mentioned by NBA figures" as a target for the Knicks in free agency, per @JakeLFischer pic.twitter.com/sFLyoGtZJJ
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) June 26, 2024
When the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, it gave them four players from the 2016 national champion Villanova Wildcats, with Bridges joining college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who of whom have come to the Big Apple over the last two years. The Knicks also earlier employed Villanova alumnus Ryan Arcidiacono – who rejoined the team after being included in New York's trade for Hart at the previous deadline – before trading him to the Detroit Pistons in February.
Four former Wildcats matches the most players from one university on an NBA roster in recent memory. The 2015-16 Phoenix Suns had four Kentucky Wildcats in Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker, Archie Goodwin and Brandon Knight. The 1997-98 Boston Celtics, led by former UK coach Rick Pitino, also briefly had four Wildcats during the eight games Reggie Hansen played alongside Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty. And the woeful 2014-15 Philadelphia 76ers rostered four former UCLA Bruins during the season, but never more than two at one time.
There are some crucial differences with this current Knicks squad, though. Their four guys aren't just from the same college. They're from the same team. These four Wildcats also won a national title together. Three of them won a second without Hart in 2018. These Knicks are a contender, too, while those other teams weren't cracking the .500 mark.
They could very well make it five if they decide to bring back Arcidiacono as a 15th man (though it's unlikely they would do that) while adding Lowry to get to six Villanova alums. It's unlikely they'll try to add ex-NBA players Eric Paschall and Omari Spellman, last seen playing professionally in Puerto Rico and South Korea, respectively.
What NBA team had the most alumni from one college at once? That would be the 1949-50 Indianapolis Olympians, who had six former Kentucky players (plus Mac McMullen, who played two years at UK before transferring to Xavier).
The Cincinnati Royals built a strong team in the mid-60's based on players from local colleges, including Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman from the University of Cincinnati. But that was in the age of "territorial picks," when teams could forfeit their first-round pick to sign any player from within 50 miles of their home arena. They benefited from an unusual amount of quality "territorial" players from Dayton, Miami of Ohio, Louisville and Ohio State before the draft was revamped in 1966.
But this Knicks team is unprecedented. The former Wildcats all like each other and they're all good players. If the franchise was simply adding Villanova guys due to an executive whims, that might be disastrous, but these players are also complementary.
The biggest danger will come at the end of the season. What if Villanova makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament? March Madness could be distracting a full third of the Knicks roster for three weekends. And if it doesn't work out with this group, Knicks owner James Dolan can always start collecting players from UConn instead.
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Long gone are the offseason days of endless rumors and transfer-portal whisperings. Now college basketball programs across the country are focusing their efforts on developing players’ games and bodies, while fine-tuning any offensive and defensive scheme alterations. Even AAU ball has officially come to a close, with the summer capper – the EYBL’s Peach Jam – concluding in late July. Although mid-August may be the dead point of the college basketball offseason, there are always updates and worthwhile news to share.Here are three things to know: 3. Illinois signee Mihailo Petrovic is channeling his inner Red Grange After officially being signed by the Illini nearly two weeks ago, Petrovic was added to the roster and given an official uniform number by the program. It’s safe to say the figure itself was a bit unexpected: Petrovic settled on No. 77, a number that has never been donned by any Illini on the hardwood – but is well-known in Champaign thanks to football legend Red Grange.Grange, known as "The Galloping Ghost," was fabled for his top-notch speed. We'll learn soon whether it's a good omen, but it's at least a pleasant twist of fate that Petrovic – a speedster himself – ultimately will wear Grange's number. Click here for more on Mihailo Petrovic 2. Big Ten rival Indiana squeaks by Mihailo Petrovic’s former squad Indiana and newly hired head coach Darian DeVries took an international trip to Puerto Rico (August 5-12) and wound up matching up with Mega Superbet, Petrovic's former squad. Although the Hoosiers prevailed 81-80, they faced a 50-30 deficit at the break and had to claw back into the game just to have a shot at the end. Although Tomislav Ivisic – who played in the same league as Petrovic – can serve as a sort of gauge for Illini fans, the matchup offers some deeper insight into the level of competition Petrovic comes from overseas. Mega Superbet nearly knocking off a reloaded Indiana squad without its former star point guard – Petrovic – sends a clear message: Petrovic will be plenty well prepared for Big Ten competition. 1. Illinois fading in recruitment of key targets On Saturday, 6-foot-10 sniper Quinn Costello (class of 2026) cut his list to six squads – none of which were Illinois. When Brad Underwood and his staff extended an offer to Costello in early June, they were just his third Power 5 offer. Just over two months later, the Illini appear to be all but officially out of Costello’s recruitment. Maximo Adams, a top-50 prospect for 2026, has yet to officially make any cuts to his list, but the 6-foot-6 wing did announce six visits – and, once again, Illinois was not featured. Whatever inroads that had been made with the highest-rated recruits on the Illini's radar is now ground that will have to be made up with others. More from Illinois on Sports Illustrated: The Big Question: Where Does Mihailo Petrovic Belong in Recruiting Rankings? Kylan Boswell Raves About Illinois Freshman Keaton Wagler: 'He's Cold' How Did Illinois' Zvonimir Ivisic Pack on 27 Pounds? Call It the Fletch Flex Illinois Basketball's 2026 Recruiting Class Taking Shape: Are Concerns Warranted? Was Losing Morez Johnson Jr. to Michigan a Blessing in Disguise for Illinois?
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
The Green Bay Packers have a cause for concern with Jordan Love in the preseason. The quarterback suffered a thumb injury during the Packers' 30-10 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday. Love went 1-of-5 passing for seven yards and took a sack for -3 yards in the defeat. Both of his drives ended in punts. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Love is set to have surgery on his thumb after seeing how it held up at practice on Monday. General manager Brian Gutekunst believes Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. "Gutekunst sounded adamant that Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Lions," Schneidman wrote. "Hit his left hand on a helmet on that half-scramble vs. Jets. Wanted to see how it felt at practice yesterday and decided to get it fixed to avoid future issues. Will be with team in Indianapolis. "Brian Gutekunst says Jordan Love is having a procedure done on his left thumb. It’s a 'ligament thing.' Hurt it in the preseason opener. Gutekunst hopes he returns to practice next week." The injury comes at an inopportune time for the Packers. Love and the majority of his receivers have not been in sync during training camp and in the preseason game. Like last season, Packers' receivers have dropped passes during practices and did so in the preseason opener against the Jets. Green Bay needs Love on the field, gaining chemistry with his pass-catching targets, including first-round pick Matthew Golden, before it plays the Lions.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has faced questions about some alleged screenshots from his Venmo account, and the school is reportedly investigating the situation. Screenshots and videos that were widely circulated on social media Monday claimed to show multiple Venmo transactions linked to Mateer that contained the phrase “sports gambling.” The two main transactions in question were on Nov. 20, 2022, which was when Mateer was a freshman at Washington State. The alleged transactions that referenced “sports gambling” were between Mateer and a Venmo account for Richard Roaten, who is believed to be one of Mateer’s former Washington State teammates. While some have questioned whether the screenshots could have been altered, there were also videos that appeared to show people actively scrolling through the account that is believed to belong to Mateer. According to a Tuesday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Mateer has denied to Oklahoma officials that he has ever been involved with gambling. The school is still planning to investigate further, however. Mateer issued a statement on his X account denying being involved in sports gambling, explaining that the descriptions seen on his Venmo account are "inside jokes" with his friends. "The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false," Mateer wrote. "My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question but were instead inside jokes between me and my friends. "I have never bet on sports. I understand the seriousness of the matter but recognize that, taken out of context, those Venmo descriptions suggest otherwise. I can assure my teammates, coaches, and officials at the NCAA that I have not engaged in any sports gambling." Oklahoma also issued a statement saying it has “no reason to believe” there is going to be an NCAA investigation. Rules prohibit student athletes or team staff from betting on any sports that have NCAA championships. One of the alleged screenshots connected to Mateer had a reference to “UCLA vs. USC” in addition to “sports gambling.” Penalties for an athlete who has been found to have gambled on prohibited sports can include a loss of eligibility. Mateer had his first full season as a starter last year at Washington State. He completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer entered the transfer portal after last season as one of the top players available, and he had a disrespectful gesture when announcing his commitment to the Sooners.