The Knicks acquired Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers, whom Brunson played at Villanova with, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright and Jalen Brunson, #1, congratulate Josh Hart, #3, in the second half against the Temple Owls at The Pavilion on Dec. 13, 2016 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Temple Owls 78-57. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Brunson had his number retired by the Wildcats on Wednesday, and immediately following the ceremony, he saw the trade news on his phone.
And he started going nuts.
"Oh s---!?" he yelled, showing his friends and family the news.
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
The Portland Trail Blazers, though, did not react similarly.
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Hart and Brunson spent two years together at Villanova, winning the national championship in 2016. Brunson added another title two years later while Hart was in the NBA.
The Knicks are 30-26 and currently sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, which puts them in the play-in tournament. The Miami Heat currently own the sixth seed at 29-25.
New York sent Cam Reddish and a protected 2023 first-round pick to Portland to complete the deal.
Jalen Brunson, #11 of the New York Knicks, talks to Josh Hart, #11 of the Portland Trail Blazers, during the game on Nov. 25, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Brunson is averaging a career-high 23.2 points per game in his first year with the Knicks. Hart is averaging 9.5, but did put up 14.9 per contest last season.