Knicks Star Backs Embattled College Coach

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson believes his embattled college coach is the Wildcat’s meow.

Brunson, of course, hails from Villanova University, whose Wildcats men’s basketball program has been stuck in reverse since legendary head coach Jay Wright retired after a Final Four appearance in 2021-22.

Wright’s successor Kyle Neptune, an assistant who helped oversee Brunson’s three collegiate tours, has yet to reach the hallowed heights he established, as he entered this season with one of the hottest seats in men’s college basketball after posting consecutive first-round exits in the NIT consolation competition.

According to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com, Brunson “believes in” Neptune and offered him a vote of confidence as the Knicks prepared for Thursday’s visit to Minnesota (9:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT).

“Kyle doesn’t have to be coach Wright. He just has to be himself,” Brunson said when asked about Neptune’s key to success. “A lot of people expect him to come in and fill the shoes the way they were before. He just has to go there and be himself.”

To Neptune’s credit, Villanova (8-4, 1-0 Big East) has won five in a row after a dreary start to this season, including a 79-67 decision over Seton Hall in their conference play opener on Tuesday night. A major challenge awaits the Wildcats on Saturday late afternoon when they head to Omaha to face Creighton (4 p.m. ET, FS1).

Little needs to be said about the Knicks’ admiration of the success Wright built at Villanova: the current roster features three of his proteges (along with Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart) and they’ll reunite with a fourth on Thursday, as the Timberwolves feature the services of Donte DiVincenzo.

Brunson hopes that Neptune and Co. can use the examples his past and present teammates established to build a new brand of prosperity on the Main Line.

“I’m excited for the past couple of days and games,” Brunson said, per Zagoria. “The best thing about Villanova, as I remember, is no matter what has happened in the past, is keep moving forward and look to improve every single day. I love the culture that we built.”

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