Jalen Brunson’s leadership could prevent one potential problem with the ‘Nova Knicks’ from ever surfacing | Sporting News

The “Nova Knicks” grew stronger this offseason with the Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks’ rotation now features four college teammates in Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Bridges, all of whom played at Villanova together and won two national championships together.

The “Nova Knicks” have legitimately helped reshape the Knicks organization with their winning attitudes and toughness. And their personal relationships and constant banter has similarly endeared them to NBA fans.

However, it’s worth wondering if there could be too much attention paid to the reunion of the college friends. NBA locker rooms are delicate ecosystems, and the “Nova Knicks” have garnered a lot of headlines.

At Mikal Bridges’ introductory press conference on Tuesday, he was asked multiple questions about reuniting with his college teammates, his reaction to the trade, their reaction to the trade, his former college teammates’ success last season, and more.

It’d be understandable if the non-Villanova Knicks teammates felt left out or grew tired of the attention paid to the former Wildcats.

However, The Athletic’s Fred Katz, who cover the Knicks, addressed the potential for issues on his “Katz and Shoot” podcast and said he believes Brunson’s leadership could prevent it from becoming a problem.

“I think Brunson has this very egalitarian leadership style,” Katz said. “I don’t think he’s a particularly clique-y person, and I think if he were made aware that he was being clique-y, then he would put an end to it. That’s just not really how he tends to carry himself.”

Brunson already provided an example of this trait in a press conference during last year’s playoffs. While sitting alongside Hart and DiVincenzo, Brunson answered a question about the three teammates’ chemistry by saying it goes beyond just the Villanova connection.

“I think from the outside, people think that we just like, hang out with just each other and no one else,” Brunson said. “I think we really enjoy and involve everyone on this team. And so the chemistry and the communication we have in the locker room and on and off the court, it’s special.”

Newsday’s Steve Popper, who was a guest on Katz’s podcast, also said that, thus far, the “Nova Knicks” haven’t been a “clique.”

“I’ve had people ask me before, ‘Is it a clique?’ And it’s really not,” Popper said. “Hart is so insane that he brings everyone into it by making fun of everyone in the locker room.”

Indeed, the ability to laugh at each other helped last year’s Knicks. During one postgame interview, Brunson said the Knicks all “low-key hate each other.”

“We low-key hate each other, but we like each other,” Brunson said. “We always joke on each other. We always find something to make fun of the other person. And so somehow it turns into great team chemistry.”

The team even bonded over pregame farts.

Popper also addressed a benefit of having four college teammates playing together, one that goes beyond their understanding of how to play together: their off-the-court friendship makes sacrifice easier. Indeed, Bridges, Hart, DiVincenzo, and OG Anunoby will all eat into each other’s minutes as the primary wings on the team.

“They’re all in it together, pulling the same way, and that’s where I think the friendship and camaraderie comes into play.”

There is one other potential solution: winning. It’s a cliché in sports, but winning does cure all. Perhaps the Villanova connection could irk some teammates, but the Knicks figure to win a lot of games this season, and the “Nova Knicks” figure to play a big part in that.