Jay Wright won’t need to go looking the Knicks’ schedule to know after they’re playing. His phone will tell him.
It is going to buzz continuously, with text messages, photos and videos pouring in from Villanova alums, friends and relations as two of his former stars, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, lead the Knicks to their latest victory.
It’s greater than just two players excelling at the following level — they’re doing it for the Knicks, the team many Villanova fans root for. The Big East school’s largest alumni base, Wright identified, is Recent York City.
“Villanova persons are just going crazy over it because they’re all Knicks fans,” the recently retired Villanova coach and current CBS college basketball analyst told The Post in a phone interview. “It’s really thrilling for all of us. To see the enjoyment it’s bringing all of the Villanova people, and I should say the individuals who aren’t Knicks fans, they at the moment are, Villanovans.”
“You’re like a proud father, you’re watching your kids on the market,” Wright added. “It’s like they’re starting a business or something.”
Knicks games have turn out to be Villanova infomercials. The complete team and training staff attended Brunson’s No. 1 jersey retirement recently. Coach Tom Thibodeau is regularly asked in regards to the Villanova program, particularly for the reason that Feb. 8 trade for Hart reunited two key members of the Wildcats’ 2016 national championship team. Hart has provided a jolt, scoring in double figures in his first three games as a Knick — all of them wins.
The Post’s Mike Vaccaro anointed the team “Knickanova.”
“I saw that — everybody in Recent York sent that to me,” Wright said. “It was awesome. I loved it.”
The story of this Knicks season, during which they’ve overachieved to this point — six games over .500 on the All-Star break and inside two games of the Nets for fifth place within the Eastern Conference — has been Brunson, and the impact he has made through 60 games. With Brunson leading the best way, the Knicks are 33-27, their best record on the break in a decade.
Wright isn’t necessarily surprised by what his former point guard has done, averaging career-bests of 23.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.9 free throw attempts and 41.1 percent 3-point shooting, and helping All-Star Julius Randle find his game following a down 12 months.
His NBA profession arc has followed what he did in college, starting as a job player and eventually becoming a star. Wright recalled watching him put up massive numbers in highschool, huge scoring games that sometimes reached into the 50s. He has seen this all before. He laughs now on the summer narrative that the Knicks overpaid for Brunson by giving him a four-year, $104 million contract to go away Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
“Now you possibly can argue it’s a bargain,” Wright joked. “I believe it’s natural for him to be a go-to guy and a scorer that leads his team. But when he must, to win, he’ll take a supporting role, which he did for us. … He was willing to attend his turn. He hasn’t modified in any respect. He’s done the identical thing within the NBA.”
Wright foresees this tandem sticking together for some time. The high-energy Hart, a first-round pick (thirtieth overall) of the Jazz in 2017 has bounced across the league. The Knicks are the two-way wing’s fourth team and Thibodeau is his sixth coach in his seventh season. Wright thinks Hart, a free agent-to-be if he doesn’t pick up his $12.9 million player option, wouldn’t mind staying some time in Recent York City.
Team president Leon Rose, when he worked at CAA, was Hart’s agent. Hart is incredibly close with Brunson. And it will be a possibility to get back to his northeast roots as a Silver Spring, Md., native after spending time in Los Angeles, Recent Orleans and Portland.
“I believe he’s in love with Recent York City,” the 61-year-old Wright said. “I believe he would love being here.”
As much as Wright is having fun with this, he has reminded each players to not let their success go to their head. The NBA is simply too tough of a league. Recent York City is simply too demanding of a town. There shall be valleys to match the peaks. The higher they play, the more scrutiny there shall be.
“With this, comes numerous responsibility and so much more challenges,” Wright has told them. “With this hype, guys are going to come back after you, and I believe each of them are smart about it.”
Wright seemed like a concerned father, still attempting to help steer his children in the suitable direction even after they’ve left home. One thing he desires to clarify: He doesn’t deserve credit for the way far the 26-year-old Brunson and 27-year-old Hart have come since leaving Villanova. Hart was taken with the ultimate pick of the primary round in 2017 and Brunson was chosen within the second round (thirty third overall) the next 12 months. They’ve gotten thus far on their very own, with their work ethic and determination. Wright is just having fun with the ride.
“I at all times check the highlights, I at all times check the box scores,” Wright said. “It’s like somewhat dessert you get every night.”