Jalen Brunson ’s emergence as the new-age captain of the New York Knicks, deemed fit to lead a team full of stars, can be largely attributed to the strong foundation he built during his three years at Villanova. While fans are aware of the one-time All-Star’s successful collegiate stint, which included two NCAA championships, his father, Rick Brunson, recently made an eye-opening revelation.
Brunson Sr. shared that he was so frustrated with his son’s perceived underutilization that he considered withdrawing him from the program despite the team winning a championship in his freshman year.
Rick on Jalen’s freshman year at Villanova
Despite starting 39 of the 40 games in his debut season for the Wildcats, JB’s playing time was restricted to 24 minutes per game. Although he was positioned as the team’s point guard, the majority of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities were assigned to Ryan Arcidiacono, as evidenced by him logging 4.2 assists per game in the 2015-16 season.
Moreover, witnessing his son’s minimal involvement even in the offensive system, wherein he attempted merely seven field goal attempts per game, Rick grew so incensed that he wanted to pull Jalen out of the college program. However, it was Coach Jay Wright ’s crucial intervention that saved Jalen from leaving the team.
During his appearance on the ‘Come Talk 2 Me’ podcast, Rick commended Wright’s communication skills and, more importantly, his ability to understand the mindset of others rather than bursting out on external parties.
"I was like, man, this ain't gonna work, and to Jalen’s credit, man, Jalen was like, you got to relax, man; I got this. You know, for him to say that to me, you know, it definitely comforted me, but I'm still like, I wanted more, you know, his freshman year," the former NBA player said . "But I give the credit to him and Jay like talking to me because Jay could have said man, 'I'm tired of your father and I'm tired of you, you need to transfer.'"
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Wright developed JB with time
It wasn’t merely that Wright envisioned Jalen as one of his most crucial players; by the 2017-18 season, he brought that vision to life. ‘Big Body’ led the team in points and assists, ultimately securing his second NCAA championship and earning the title of Big East Player of the Year.
It is fair to say that without Jay, Jalen’s trajectory and development could have been significantly different. Thankfully, with his guidance and vision, JB is now thriving as a main man for the new-look Knicks.
Related: Tim MacMahon says if Jalen Brunson signed an extension in Dallas, he would've been traded to the Nets: "Mark Cuban has always been about chasing stars"
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