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Jalen Brunson is being recognized in New York City, as he carries the Knicks to the playoffs and gets MVP chants. He also has plenty of support from his former Villanova teammates, whether the former Wildcats in his locker room or former teammates online. Kris Jenkins, his former teammate, backed him up on Twitter.
Jenkins tweeted an old clip of ESPN’ First Take from back in 2016. The clip shows Stephen A. Smith and his former co-host Skip Bayless debating that year’s national college basketball championship between Villanova and North Carolina.
“Villanova does not have a NBA prospect on its roster,” Smith said.
Bayless agreed with him. That 2016 Villanova team won the national championship on an insane buzzer-beater winner by Kris Jenkins.
Smith was wrong, as Jenkins points out. He called out Smith for his blatantly wrong take.
“Imagine being this bad at your job and still keeping it, sheesh,” Jenkins tweeted.
That Villanova team was stacked with NBA talent. Brunson was on it as well as a freshman. His Knicks teammates Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart were also prominent team members. Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges was also on the title-winning team.
Ryan Arcidiacono and Eric Paschall played multiple seasons in the NBA and were also on the roster. That is six NBA players with four still in the league and one MVP candidate on the team.
Jalen Brunson and Villanova crew continue to carry Knicks
The New York Knicks bounced back from a three-game losing streak in a big way. Jalen Brunson led alongside his former Villanova teammates to beat the Sacramento Kings and end a three-game slide in a crucial win for playoff seeding.
Brunson had 35 points and 11 assists as the Knicks returned from a 21-point deficit to win 120-109 on Thursday. Brunson shot 12-of-20 and swiped three steals. It was his sixth straight game with at least 20 points.
Josh Hart added a season-high 31 points. Hart shot 14-of-19 from the field, adding nine rebounds and eight assists. His former college teammate Donte DiVincenzo contributed 21 points, including clutch buckets late to ice the game away.
The win keeps the Knicks in fifth place but further from the play-in tournament. They have the same winning percentage as the fourth-place Orlando Magic and could leap them with another win.
