06/14/2026
Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart have completed one of the most remarkable basketball journeys ever. The trio won an NCAA championship together at Villanova in 2016, helping cement the Wildcats as a college basketball powerhouse. A decade later, they stood together again on the biggest stage, leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years with a Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs. What started in Philadelphia as a championship-winning friendship eventually carried over to Madison Square Garden, where they became the heart and soul of a title team.
In the championship-clinching Game 5, Brunson delivered a legendary 45-point performance, while Bridges and Hart provided the toughness, defense, and leadership that defined New York's playoff run. Their story is rare in modern sports: three college teammates staying close, reuniting in the NBA, and reaching the top together. From cutting down the nets at Villanova to raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy in New York, Brunson, Bridges, and Hart turned a college championship bond into an NBA championship legacy.
