New York Knicks superstar point guard Jalen Brunson is a Villanova legend. Was there a chance Brunson would transfer after his rookie season with the Wildcats?
Jalen’s father, Rick Brunson, a former NBA player and current Knicks assistant coach, joined his son on the “Come and Talk 2 Me” podcast with former NBA player, head coach and host Mark Jackson. There, the elder Brunson talked about how disappointed he was during Brunson’s rookie season at Villanova.
“One thing Jay Wright was good at was talking to you and getting you to come off the rim because I thought I saw more, and Jay was great, he handled it great,” Rick Brunson said. “But I was like, man, this is not going to work, and to Jalen’s credit, man, Jalen was like, you gotta chill, man, I’ve got you covered.”
“You know, for him to say that, for me, you know, it definitely comforted me, but I’m still like I want more, you know, his freshman year,” Rick Brunson continued. “But I give him credit and Jay talking to me because Jay could have been like, man, I’m tired of your dad and I’m tired of you, you need to transfer.”
This is shocking news, as Brunson went on to become an all-time great at Villanova during his three-year college career. He was a three-year starter, was the 2017-18 National Player of the Year, and most importantly, won two national championships.
However, it’s not uncommon for players, especially young ones, to feel underutilized. During his freshman season, Brunson played just 24.0 minutes per game and averaged just 9.6 points per game, with Ryan Arcidiacono handling the bulk of the point guard duties. Even though Brunson’s father wanted him on a new team at first, it seems like it was the right decision for everyone for him to stay.