Villanova may not have won the national title last season, but the Catholic university has been on a roll as of late. Not only have they produced the current pope, but they also produced three basketball stars that led the New York Knicks to an NBA title. Jalen Brunson , Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges did not just lead the Wildcats to an NCAA national title, but together, they won the NBA title, which makes the "Nova Knicks" more special.
This proves that the Villanova basketball program is one of the best in the country. The question now is, who are the best players that the school has produced so far?
The 1995 Big East Player of the Year did not just leave his mark on the school an d college basketball, but he also had a big mark in the NBA when he played for the New Jersey Nets . He scored a school-record 2,243 points and averaged 18.4 points with the Wildcats and then he went to the NMBA, he et the Nets' franchise record and NBA rookie record for three-point field goals made with 158.
During his days as a Wildcat, Kyle Lowry averaged 11.0 points on 46.6 percent shooting, with s 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. His college career was also known for his clashes with head coach Jay Wright, though after he left, he made a big impact in the NBA, winning the title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors .
One of the Knicks' "Nova 3" that not only captured an NBA title, but an NCAA title together, he really is the "heart" of both teams. A Big East Player of the Year winner, he was one of the best shooters in the program's history, averaging 51.1% from the field and won two titles for the Cats. He was also a defensive powerhouse, getting 161 steals there.
The -Big East Defensive Player of the Year showed his defensive prowess in this year's NBA finals, which showed that he could be clutch in stopping opponents if needed. He averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game for Villanova in the 2017-2018 season.
A man who needs no introduction, Jalen Brunson silenced his critics on Sunday by winning the Finals MVP. Those back-to-back titles at Villanova proved useful, as he led New York to the title, ending their 53-year championship drought. He averaged 18.9 points, s 4.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game in his final year at Nova during the 2017-18 season.
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