Villanova Professional Athletes

The Captain Recovers

Jalen Brunson is spending his first offseason as an NBA champion the way most Finals MVPs probably shouldn't have to — rehabbing a wrist. But the news out of the Knicks camp is firmly positive: the Villanova product is reportedly at "80–85%" following surgery, with the trajectory pointing toward full health before New York's preseason opener against the 76ers on October 5.

Brunson powered the Knicks to their first NBA title in 53 years, and the organization isn't hitting the panic button. The wrist issue lingered through last season, making the offseason procedure a necessary reset rather than a surprise. With training camp approaching, the reigning champ looks on schedule.

Off the court, Brunson has been impossible to ignore. He launched Thirty Third Management Group, a new firm handling his off-court business ventures, with a nod to his family's involvement every step of the way. He also fulfilled a promise to Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay — a friendship forged during the Knicks' title run — by visiting the show's set for a cameo appearance. Brunson left the production carrying his daughter Jordyn, accompanied by security.

The Brunson Knicks, meanwhile, are actively building around their cornerstone. New York reportedly signed a high-motor veteran to pair alongside Brunson and OG Anunoby in the frontcourt, and the organization added a 6-foot-5 ex-Cavaliers guard to deepen the backcourt rotation heading into the title defense.

Bey Gets Paid

While Brunson's offseason has been defined by recovery and celebrity, Saddiq Bey's has been defined by a payday that erases any lingering doubts about his NBA future.

The Pelicans locked up the Villanova forward on a three-year, $55.5 million fully guaranteed extension that runs through the 2029–30 season — a direct reward for what sources describe as a career-best campaign. The deal comes after a remarkable bounce-back from an ACL injury that had raised legitimate questions about whether Bey could reclaim his form. He answered emphatically, and New Orleans wasted little time securing him.

Sports Illustrated graded the extension a B+, calling it a "calculated risk after a big year" — a fair label given the Pelicans' recent playoff drought, but one that reflects genuine optimism in what Bey has become as a player. The contract is fully guaranteed, signaling the organization's commitment isn't hedged.

Worth noting in the broader context: the story of how Bey ended up in New Orleans at all points back to Washington, where questions remain about how the Wizards managed — or mismanaged — his development before he found his footing elsewhere. That's their loss and the Pelicans' gain.

The Wider Nova Board

Elsewhere on the Villanova alumni ledger, Josh Hart — another championship Knick — is enjoying a meme-worthy offseason, reacting on social media to fans using his likeness for apartment jokes and getting roasted by Brunson over a Yankees bobblehead commemorating the title run. Hart's bobblehead existence is a reminder that Nova's fingerprints are all over the Knicks' championship core.

Cam Whitmore, meanwhile, faces a more urgent offseason narrative in Denver. Sports Illustrated flagged the 2023 lottery pick as nearing a critical juncture with the Nuggets, with versatility the key question mark heading into camp. The clock is ticking on a different timeline than the one Brunson and Bey are operating on — but that's the Villanova NBA alumni experience right now: from championship parades to prove-it seasons, they're everywhere in the league.

Villanova's fingerprints are all over the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in 53 years — and in the week of September 6–12, the two Wildcats most responsible for it made sure nobody forgot.

Brunson's Victory Lap Goes Prime Time

Jalen Brunson isn't slowing down. Fresh off his 2026 NBA Finals MVP, the Knicks point guard was announced as the host of Saturday Night Live's Season 52 premiere on September 26 — making him just the fifth NBA player ever tapped for the gig. The announcement capped an offseason that has seen Brunson morph from elite floor general into full-blown New York icon.

The cultural moment didn't stop there. Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay teased a Brunson cameo on the long-running NBC drama, nodding to a wish Brunson had reportedly floated after the championship. Meanwhile, tennis star Ben Shelton — who beat Frances Tiafoe in a U.S. Open semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium — was visibly starstruck when he spotted Brunson in the crowd, giving the Knicks captain a shoutout after the match. Brunson watched alongside superfan Ben Stiller, and the video promptly went viral.

Even former teammate Dirk Nowitzki got in on the conversation, admitting he had been skeptical during Brunson's Dallas days — when the Nova product was cast as a complementary piece behind Luka Dončić — before acknowledging the championship run as fully deserved. That arc, from overlooked Mavericks supporting player to Finals MVP, is becoming one of the better redemption narratives in recent NBA history.

Hart Sounds the Alarm on Complacency — For Everyone Else

Josh Hart wasn't courtside at the Open just to enjoy the tennis. Appearing on ESPN's broadcast during Alexander Zverev's quarterfinal win Wednesday evening, the veteran guard delivered a pointed message: one title isn't enough, and the doubters are already back.

Hart argued the Knicks are being overlooked again despite winning the championship — a familiar chip-on-the-shoulder posture that New York leaned on throughout its 2025-26 run. He also pushed back on the idea that a target follows a defending champion, suggesting the Knicks don't see it that way heading into 2026-27. The message was consistent across multiple appearances: this group is "not satisfied" with one ring and intends to treat outside skepticism as fuel.

It's a dynamic that Villanova fans will recognize instantly. Brunson and Hart — both products of Jay Wright's Nova program — have brought the same underdog identity that defined their college years straight into the NBA's biggest market. The difference now is they're defending champions saying it.

The Bigger Picture for Nova Nation

With Mikal Bridges also on the Knicks' roster (crediting the team's championship experience as the reason they thrived in comeback situations throughout the playoffs), three Villanova alumni contributed to New York's title run. Brunson was the headliner, Hart was the heart, and Bridges provided the veteran steadiness in the margins.

As the 2026-27 season approaches, the Wildcats' NBA footprint has never looked larger — or louder.

The King Who Won't Wear the Crown

Jalen Brunson did what no Knick had done since 1973 — he brought a championship back to Madison Square Garden. The Villanova product capped a historic run with the 2026 NBA Finals MVP award, leading New York past a deficit in every game of the series to complete one of the more improbable title runs in recent memory. The city went wild. Mayor Zohran Mamdani handed him a nickname: "King of New York."

Brunson promptly declined it.

In multiple appearances since the title, including a stop on The Road Trippin' Show, the Finals MVP has been characteristically grounded, offering an NSFW explanation for why "K.O.N.Y." doesn't sit right with him. He's also been candid about the squad's mentality going forward — the message, per Brunson, is simple: the work isn't done. The defending champions have a target on their backs, and he doesn't much care. Meanwhile, an offhand rumor about a former Villanova teammate managing Knicks players' finances drew a quick, clarifying denial from Brunson, who addressed it directly over the weekend.

The bigger challenge, according to analysts and Brunson himself, has nothing to do with his own game. With Kendrick Perkins and others calling on him to elevate OG Anunoby toward All-Star status, Brunson is entering 2026-27 with a new assignment: make someone else better. It's a different kind of pressure than carrying a franchise in the playoffs, but it may prove just as important to a repeat run.

Hart on the Bubble — and Unbothered

Josh Hart's role in the Knicks' title doesn't come with an asterisk, but it does come with a question mark heading into next season. A Sports Illustrated deep dive examined the genuine lineup conundrum surrounding Hart — whether he should return to a starting role or shift to a bench function — and there are legitimate arguments on both sides. His 2K27 rating is among those flagged for a significant update after the championship run, per ClutchPoints.

Hart's own offseason headline came courtesy of a five-word verdict on the Mikal Bridges trade — a blockbuster that drew heavy criticism when New York parted with the draft capital. Hart made clear he has no regrets. And why would he? That deal, controversial as it was, helped deliver a banner.

Reports also indicate Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns could be eyeing contract extensions that mirror Brunson's own team-friendly approach — a potential page borrowed from the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama playbook — in an effort to keep the championship core together.

DiVincenzo's Knicks Return: Still a Long Shot

Across the league, Donte DiVincenzo has become the fan-favorite subject of reunion chatter in New York. The former Villanova guard — now with the Minnesota Timberwolves — has long been linked to a return to the city where he won a title in 2023-24. But per Sports Illustrated, that ship has sailed for now. A trade for DiVincenzo appears both unlikely and unnecessary, given where the Knicks' roster currently stands. Nova fans holding out hope will have to keep waiting.

Three Wildcats — Brunson, Hart, and DiVincenzo — remain central figures in the NBA's biggest storyline heading into 2026-27. One delivered a title. One helped win it. One is watching from Minnesota, hoping for a second act.

The Wildcats Are Running the NBA Offseason

It's been a banner few weeks for Villanova alumni in the NBA — and that's not hyperbole. Between a championship vindication, a viral moment of self-deprecating humor, and a franchise-wide celebration in Toronto, Nova's footprint in the league has never felt larger.

Brunson's Bet on Himself (and the Knicks) Pays Off

The story of New York's first NBA title in 53 years runs directly through Jalen Brunson — and through one of the most quietly consequential decisions in recent league history. In 2024, Brunson signed a contract extension for $113 million less than his market value, handing the Knicks the financial flexibility to assemble a championship-caliber roster. Two years later, the gamble paid off in full.

Brunson's sacrifice has now become a reference point across the league. Kevin Durant was asked this week whether he would consider a similar pay cut to chase a title, a question that underscores just how much Brunson's choice has reframed the conversation around superstar contracts and winning culture. Brunson didn't just win a ring — he rewrote what it looks like to bet on yourself and your teammates at the same time.

Hart Can't Escape the Layup (And He Doesn't Want To)

Months removed from a championship, Josh Hart is leaning hard into his status as New York's most entertainingly self-aware star. The Villanova product has been joking publicly about a missed layup in Game 4 of the NBA Finals — a moment that apparently lives rent-free in his head, even with a title to show for the season. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado jumped in on social media to twist the knife, turning the exchange into one of the offseason's more charming bits.

Hart also had a second viral moment this week when a workout video surfaced showing him putting in serious offseason reps. His response: a joke that the footage would ruin his carefully cultivated reputation. Brunson himself has previously called Hart "the worst practice player" in the NBA — a badge Hart has worn proudly. The video suggests the bar for "worst" may be higher than advertised, or that Hart is simply unwilling to let a championship be his ceiling.

Lowry's Toronto Farewell Takes Shape

While the Knicks alumni dominate the news cycle, Kyle Lowry is getting his moment in a different city. After retiring as a member of the Toronto Raptors earlier this summer, the franchise has announced it will retire his No. 7 jersey on January 10, 2027, during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers — a fitting tribute to what the organization has called the "Greatest Raptor of All Time."

Lowry spent the defining years of his career in Toronto, culminating in the franchise's only NBA championship in 2019. His jersey hanging in the rafters alongside that history is a coda the city has been anticipating for years. For Villanova fans, it's a reminder that the program's NBA legacy extends well beyond the current Knicks core — and that it's still being written.

Three alumni. One championship. One layup that won't die. One jersey retirement. Nova's offseason has been anything but quiet.