Villanova President teases divine connection of Pope Leo, Nova Knicks

When news broke that the first American Pope in Roman Catholic history was named in Rome, it caused a bevy of reactions around the United States of America, especially when it came to sports.

That’s right, while most Popes have been evaluated for their credentials, for how closely they stick to the letter of the Bible’s text, and what kind of regime they plan to run, fans have instead been deeply focused on his sports fandom, from his appearance at the 2005 World Series watching his beloved Chicago White Sox to his status as a Villanova alumni, where he earned a degree in mathematics.

So, while Pope Leo XIV has deep ties to Chicago, how does his selection impact the New York Knicks, who famously have three notable Nova alumni, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart? Well, Craig Melvin asked Villanova President Father Peter Donohue that very question on Today to find out.

“Big week for Villanova. Follow me on this thing, we’re talking about the NBA Finals here because you’ve got, Brunson, Bridges, and Hart all went to Nova, all play for the New York Knicks,” Melvin asked. “They’re up 2 – 0 in the series over the Celtics. Is this a divine sign perhaps Father? This might be the year for the New York Knicks?”

Pointing his index finger and middle finger to the heavens, Donohue gave his answer.

“Who knows?” Donohue said with a smile.

Welp, there you go, folks; not only does Donohue want to see his Nova Knicks pull this one out on the way to the first New York NBA Championship this century, but he believes that having a Main Line alumnus in the Vatican City will only help the team’s cause moving forward. Factor that suggestion in with Spike Lee’s bold declaration on the very same subject, and who knows; maybe this will be the Nova Knicks year after all.