For the first time as NBA champions, the ‘Nova Knicks returned home.
Former Wildcats and current New York Knicks Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges returned to campus to help kick off Villanova men’s and women’s basketball 2026-27 season during a tip-off event at Finneran Pavilion Sunday night. The event was deemed the “Nova Nation Tip-Off.” Both basketball programs will open the season in Rome on Nov. 1 against Notre Dame.
Before the event, both programs hosted an autograph session.
Each player from the men’s and women’s teams were introduced to the crowd individually, which included their own walkout songs, smoke machines, and sparklers. Luigi Suigo got his long-awaited introduction to the Villanova fanbase after coming to the Main Line at the end of July. Head coaches Kevin Willard and Denise Dillon were introduced as well.
Willard and Dillon thanked the fans for coming out and sharing excitement for the upcoming season after both programs made NCAA Tournament runs last season.
Then, former Villanova Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright was introduced alongside former Wildcat Kris Jenkins. Both Wright and Jenkins have roles at the University. Wright is the special assistant to the president, and Jenkins is the athletics operations coordinator.
Wright then spoke to the crowd before the Knicks trio were introduced. He then sat down with Brunson, Hart, Bridges, and Jenkins for a 20-minute interview involving questions about Villanova, the fans, winning an NBA championship, and what it was like for Brunson to host Saturday Night Live.
“Normally, after the game is over, the fans leave,” Hart said when talking about winning the 2026 NBA Finals in five games. “But after that, we met as a team. We had to go back out and do some media. And just about everybody was still there. The passion that Knicks fans have is unmatched. … It was one of the best sporting moments I’ve ever been a part of.”
Halfway through Hart’s answer he was interrupted by a “I love you, Josh” from the crowd.
“I love you too,” Hart responded.
Wright then asked the trio, specifically Bridges, what they did this summer. Bridges mentioned he did not do anything and stayed home, but Wright chimed in to tell him he ”saw [Bridges] having fun on social media.”
Bridges went viral this summer for an Instagram Live during the press tour that immediately followed the Knicks winning the NBA title.
“Can you imagine Mikal doing his IG Live while we were [at Villanova]?” Brunson joked.
With all three graduating with degrees from Villanova, Wright asked them to share advice to current students in the crowd.
“I’ll say probably value the relationships that y’all have here, that y’all create here,” Hart said. “Because I know it’s hard to realize that now, but especially being in New York, there are so many people doing well in their respective careers that have Villanova ties, and the relationship that we have just from being Villanovans, it puts us in a different category, so I would say really value the relationship that you have now, go out there and meet each other, talk to each other, take a risk, and enjoy it.”
The conversation wrapped up with the ‘Nova Knicks trio talking about both the Villanova men’s and women’s basketball teams and their upcoming seasons.
Hart was asked about Willard’s Seton Hall teams. Willard, who coached Seton Hall from 2010-22, was on the sidelines when Hart, Brunson, and Bridges were at Villanova.
“They were cool, but we used to kick their [butts],” Hart said when asked about Willard’s Seton Hall teams.
Brunson quickly chimed in to point out not everyone did. Notably, Villanova lost to Seton Hall in the 2016 Big East championship, but the Wildcats went on to win the national championship later that season.
“I mean, let’s point out the obvious, someone lost to them in the Big East championship sitting up here, but …” Brunson chirped.
He was referring to Jenkins.
“I think I made up for it,” Jenkins, who hit the championship-winning buzzer-beater in 2016 to lift Villanova to the National Championship, said.
The tip-off event concluded with a three-point contest and skills challenge that involved a mix of men’s and women’s basketball players and students. Late last week, tryouts were hosted in the Finneran Pavilion to determine which students would participate in the contests. Teams were named after Wright, Jenkins, Dillon, and Willard.
Team Wright won the three-point contest, which featured Villanova basketball players Tyler Perkins and Brooke Bender.
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