Watch: Jalen Brunson reacts to Josh Hart being traded to Knicks
Jalen Brunson didn’t just get his jersey retired by Villanova. He got a Villanova teammate on the Knicks.
Wednesday night, Villanova University retired the jersey of Brunson, who won two national championships and the 2018 Player of the Year award. But what really got him excited was the news that his team had traded for his fellow Wildcat, Josh Hart.
Brunson and Hart played together in Villanova's backcourt from 2015-17. The third guard in Villanova's starting lineup from the 2016 championship team, Ryan Arcidiacono, is also a member of the Knicks. All three can lord their national titles over Julius Randle and Derrick Rose, both of whom lost in the championship game.
One danger in making trades at the deadline is that teams sacrifice some of the continuity they've gained over the preceding months of the season. But Hart and Brunson played 75 games together in college and practiced together for two years. They should lose very little familiarity easing Hart into their rotation.
Wednesday was a big day for former Wildcats to join the Atlantic Division. Brooklyn acquired Brunson's three-year Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges in the huge Kevin Durant deal, meaning four members of the 2016 title team will be playing in New York City.
But why stop there? Could the Nets trade for Donte DiVincenzo? Do the Knicks have a bench role available for Eric Paschall? Is it possible to pry Omari Spellman away from Anyang KGC of the Korean Basketball League?
Whatever else happens at the deadline, we've learned that the true winner of the Knicks-Blazers deal is friendship.
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