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The New York Knicks are riding the highest wave in a generation. Fresh off a dominant 4-0 sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they outscored Cleveland in all four games and closed it out with a 130-93 blowout in Game 4, New York is heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Before they open the series against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 on Wednesday night, veteran forward Josh Hart pulled back the curtain on a story that explains exactly why this team is so hard to break.
Josh Hart did not mince words when he recalled his first impression of Jalen Brunson at Villanova. Hart, already established on the roster, sized up the incoming freshman with serious skepticism.
Hart said: “I hated Jalen.”
He assumed Brunson was another polished five-star recruit who would walk in expecting everything handed to him. Hart admitted he felt the same way about Mikal Bridges when Bridges arrived later, a wing playing the same position with a similar physical style.
Josh Hart Admits He ‘Hated’ Jalen Brunson at First at Villanova (Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Those suspicions dissolved fast. Brunson turned out to be the exact opposite of what Hart expected. He was humble, grounded, and willing to put in work without needing attention for it. The two grew close quickly, and Hart eventually roomed with Brunson during his sophomore year.
The Villanova roots run through everything the Knicks do. Hart, Brunson, and Bridges all came up under coach Jay Wright, where toughness and winning culture were non-negotiable. That shared experience allows them to communicate with a glance on the court and pick each other up when the pressure rises. It is the kind of trust that cannot be built in a single season.
How that bond holds up against a Spurs team built around Victor Wembanyama could define this entire series.
The Knicks open the NBA Finals on June 3 in San Antonio against the Spurs, who edged Oklahoma City in seven games to earn their spot. Games 1 and 2 are on the road before New York returns home for Games 3 and 4.
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Josh Hart Opens Up About Early Beef with Jalen Brunson
Josh Hart did not mince words when he recalled his first impression of Jalen Brunson at Villanova. Hart, already established on the roster, sized up the incoming freshman with serious skepticism.
Hart said: “I hated Jalen.”
He assumed Brunson was another polished five-star recruit who would walk in expecting everything handed to him. Hart admitted he felt the same way about Mikal Bridges when Bridges arrived later, a wing playing the same position with a similar physical style.
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Josh Hart Admits He ‘Hated’ Jalen Brunson at First at Villanova (Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Those suspicions dissolved fast. Brunson turned out to be the exact opposite of what Hart expected. He was humble, grounded, and willing to put in work without needing attention for it. The two grew close quickly, and Hart eventually roomed with Brunson during his sophomore year.
The Villanova roots run through everything the Knicks do. Hart, Brunson, and Bridges all came up under coach Jay Wright, where toughness and winning culture were non-negotiable. That shared experience allows them to communicate with a glance on the court and pick each other up when the pressure rises. It is the kind of trust that cannot be built in a single season.
How that bond holds up against a Spurs team built around Victor Wembanyama could define this entire series.
The Knicks open the NBA Finals on June 3 in San Antonio against the Spurs, who edged Oklahoma City in seven games to earn their spot. Games 1 and 2 are on the road before New York returns home for Games 3 and 4.
Continue reading...
