Some Philadelphia fans on social media were in an uproar after Villanova’s basketball account on posted a congratulatory tweet congratulating “our guys” Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo for hitting “two HUGE 3s to seal the win in Game 2” for the Knicks.
Josh Hart, a teammate of those players on Villanova’s 2016 NCAA championship team and now with the Knicks, called anyone angry at the post — interpreted as dissent toward his hometown 76ers — “idiotic “.
“Why? It’s so stupid. Villanova is in our blood, brother,” Hart said after Wednesday’s Knicks practice in Tarrytown. “It’s a bond that goes deeper than where you’re from or that you support or whatever. We have a bond there that goes beyond basketball, that goes beyond all that stuff.
“So for Philly fans to be angry about this, I think it’s stupid. This is what we are. We are a family. We played for those who came before us there, and that’s how it’s done there. So I don’t care. I think it’s stupid that Philly fans are crazy about it. Because whether they like it or not, Villanova is in our blood.”
The Knicks are 2-0 in the first-round series, which comes to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Sunday, respectively.
Villanova is actually located about 25 miles from Philadelphia.
When informed of Philly fans’ anger over the Villanova program’s message, Brunson initially responded, “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
But then the two-time NCAA champion added this zinger: “In their eyes, we’re not a Philadelphia school, but when we win, apparently we’re a Philadelphia school.” »
New York Post
