By James L. Edwards III | The Athletic, 2026-06-03 09:15:28
乔什·哈特 (Josh Hart) 扫视着桌面。NBA球迷们熟悉的那抹标志性坏笑挂在脸上。桌上有奖杯、麦克风，还有他的兄弟们。
弹指一挥间，我能看出哈特的脑海中涌现出无数往昔的回忆，与此同时，一段新的记忆也正在被他铭记。在纽约尼克斯横扫克利夫兰骑士、夺得自1999年以来队史首张总决赛门票后，哈特、杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 和米卡尔·布里奇斯 (Mikal Bridges) 肩并肩坐在克利夫兰火箭信贷球馆的新闻发布厅里。这三位尼克斯球员坐在高高架起的发言席上，刚刚完成了他们在这个级别作为队友所取得的最大壮举。然而，在将近十年前，这三人也曾经历过类似的时刻。作为维拉诺瓦大学男篮的成员，哈特、布里奇斯和布伦森曾携手夺得过全国冠军。
额，准确地说，差不多是这样。
“我得纠正你一下：米卡尔和我赢了两次，”当这位媒体成员向哈特提问，谈到这几位大学前队友在赢得NBA东部冠军后坐在一起的感受时，布伦森打断道，“乔什只赢了一次。你继续。”
哈特默默承受了布伦森的调侃，这对于一个包袱多到足够开一小时脱口秀专场的人来说实属罕见。哈特笑了笑，憋回了本已准备好的反击，然后带着这个时刻应有的情感，认真地回应了这个问题。
“这感觉太不真实了，”哈特回答道，“当你在大学的更衣室里时，你知道目标是打进NBA。你也知道你们所有人都在同一支球队的概率微乎其微，甚至根本不可能。这是你会讨论和梦想的事情，但你也知道现实中这几乎是不可能的。它最终能够成真，真的超级酷，因为我知道这些家伙付出了多少时间，我也知道他们的心在哪里。
“我们之间已经建立了纽带，是一辈子的兄弟，而这只是又向前迈出了一步。显然，这还不是终极目标，但你只需要不断积累回忆。这些将是我们终生难忘的回忆。”
自从这组维拉诺瓦三巨头齐聚以来，尼克斯已经达到了本世纪从未有过的高度。去年，这支球队25年来首次打进东部决赛。本赛季，他们终结了长达27年的总决赛荒——球队将于周三晚上在圣安东尼奥开启总决赛系列赛。这三个人之间有一种奇妙的化学反应。无论是在大学还是现在的职业赛场，胜利就是最好的证明。
在一项职业生涯足迹可能遍布世界各地的运动中，这三个人却能够重新找到彼此。布伦森是第一个加入的，那是在2022年，他作为一名自由球员加盟。在此之前，他的前东家达拉斯独行侠（以及其他许多球队）并没有看到尼克斯在这位前次轮秀身上所看到的价值。布伦森在纽约完成了蜕变，从一个拼图球员成长为了球队的核心，凭借一次次高分表演和关键时刻的英雄主义表现，成为了哥谭镇的骑士。接下来是哈特，他在2023年通过交易加盟。他的职业生涯一直不错，但前六年他一直在各支弱队之间辗转。他们两人共同发挥了重要作用，让尼克斯觉得自己已经处于可以大干一场的位置，而这个契机最终以布里奇斯加盟的形式出现。
回顾杰伦·布伦森得知尼克斯交易得到乔什·哈特时的场景——
布伦森的反应太纯粹了。
(来源：@ capj1344)
— Hoop Central (@ TheHoopCentral) August 16, 2025
2024年夏天，在纽约自2000年以来首次连续两年闯入东部半决赛后，尼克斯送出五个首轮签，从同城死敌布鲁克林篮网手中交易得到了布里奇斯。布里奇斯长期以来一直是联盟中最顶尖的拼图球员之一，但他从未入选过全明星。对于他这种级别的球员来说，这是一个高昂的代价，但球队总裁莱昂·罗斯 (Leon Rose) 将布里奇斯视为布伦森、哈特和OG·阿奴诺比 (OG Anunoby) 身边的完美拼图，这能让球队有资本与波士顿凯尔特人等强队一决高下。而且，这起到了效果。
在过去的两年里，这三人的旅程充满了波折，但我有幸能够近距离观察——就在同一时期，在报道了底特律活塞七个赛季之后，我转岗成为了尼克斯的跟队记者，并在过去的两个赛季里每天都在报道这支球队。
以下是我的所见所感：这支“维拉诺瓦尼克斯”是真正的兄弟情，绝非为了镜头刻意营造出来的。
守护者
布里奇斯在尼克斯的生涯开局并不顺利。
在前19场比赛中，他的投篮命中率远低于正常水平。他的防守也完全没有达到向球迷宣传的那种水准，随着这支怀揣夺冠抱负的球队仅取得11胜8负的开局，球迷们开始将怒火发泄在布里奇斯身上。对于许多焦虑的拥趸来说，布里奇斯的交易开始看起来像是队史最糟糕的交易，而在当时，这已经是非常严重的指责了。在我看来，布里奇斯在场上迷失了自我，缺乏自信。
然而，就在他努力寻找状态、周围的质疑声越来越大时，比他大两岁的哈特挺身而出，成为了他的坚强后盾。随着布里奇斯一场接一场地表现低迷，记者们开始寻找问题出在哪里的答案。布里奇斯表现得比较克制，说着那些接受过媒体培训的运动员该说的标准答案：我必须做得更好。这是一个漫长的赛季。我只需要把球投进。
可是，哈特却会抓住任何能发声的麦克风，确保他的队友知道自己支持他，并经常坦言球员适应新环境是需要时间的。连续好几场比赛，我都看到哈特在公开场合为布里奇斯辩护。他希望自己在公开场合的支持，能像在幕后一样坚定响亮。
到了12月，布里奇斯和哈特终于笑到了最后。布里奇斯用场上的表现证明了自己，他场均砍下21.5分，投篮命中率高达56%，三分命中率达到43%。他的复苏发生在圣诞大战那天，布里奇斯狂砍41分，帮助球队以3分优势险胜马刺——这也是他们即将在总决赛中面对的对手。赛后，布里奇斯并没有得意忘形。我记得走到他的衣柜前，问他有没有看到ESPN制作的唐老鸭模仿他庆祝动作的迪士尼动画。他当时还没看。布里奇斯没有沉浸在胜利的喜悦中。他依然保持着和低谷期一样平稳的心态。
然而，哈特却代替他表达了所有的心声。他就像是布里奇斯的保罗·海曼 (Paul Heyman)。
“现在他找回状态了，你们一个个都不说话了，”哈特说道，“把你们的道歉表都给我拿出来。下场比赛我会去收。给他应有的赞美，因为他打得很好。让赞美声像当初的黑子声一样响亮。”
近距离观察这两人的关系后，我开始好奇他们在大学时期的互动。就在那时，我了解到哈特并不总是扮演布里奇斯保护者的角色。事实上，恰恰相反。他以前经常试图捉弄、欺负他。
布里奇斯在维拉诺瓦大学的生涯是从红衫球员开始的。当时哈特高年级，而且极其讨厌训练（他现在依然如此）。为了激发哈特的最大潜能，野猫队的教练们会试图用言语刺激他。他的主教练杰·莱特 (Jay Wright) 会对哈特说一些“在采访中说不出口”的话，纯粹是为了激怒他。这招通常很管用。然而，布里奇斯往往是被指派去防守哈特的那个人，而哈特在训练时总是带着怒气和怨气。
他们的关系一开始更像是对手。
“我刚到学校的时候，他就是个恶霸，”布里奇斯说，“我没惹过他。但他一开始就是不喜欢我。可能他对我这个身高6英尺6英寸、看起来挺结实的瘦长小子有点忌惮吧。我觉得他心里可能有点害怕。”
维拉诺瓦篮球队的每个人都承认，当时哈特确实在故意“折磨”布里奇斯。然而，随着时间的推移，教练们开始认为这是发生在布里奇斯身上最好的事情。许多人相信，正是这段经历塑造了我们今天所看到的他——一个能够战胜逆境的球员，就像他的急停中投能越过防守者一样。
“你们现在看到的乔什·哈特，从第一天起就是那个样子，”维拉诺瓦大学助理教练阿什利·霍华德 (Ashley Howard) 告诉《The Athletic》，“他凶悍、强硬、难缠，是个天生的竞争者。谁能想到，结果却是年轻的大一新生米卡尔·布里奇斯整年都致力于提升力量、打磨技术和看录像。他的‘比赛日’就是训练。他的‘对手’就是乔什·哈特，这个我们都知道是场上最强硬、最难缠的家伙。他让米卡尔变得更好了。”
有些人将其视为“严厉的爱”，即便哈特从未透露过自己的真实意图。
“每当乔什的球被盖，或者球权转换时，下一次米卡尔拿到球——无论是在快攻中、追防他，还是在半场阵地战中——那感觉就像是哥哥在打弟弟，”维拉诺瓦大学助理教练迈克·纳尔迪 (Mike Nardi) 说道，“乔什试图传递一个信息。我们都相信，这促使了米卡尔成长为今天的自己。他们每天都在相互竞争。”
布里奇斯在尼克斯的时光在场上经历了几次起伏。然而，他总是在最关键的时刻挺身而出。每一次，哈特都会在背后支持他，或者在一切顺利时向人们提醒布里奇斯真正的实力。
他们的关系已经从兄弟间的竞争演变成了哈特扮演保护者的角色。
喜剧人
布伦森竭尽全力去承担他的明星光环所带来的一切责任。在面对媒体时，布伦森总是宠辱不惊。他给你的料刚刚好，但绝不多说。布伦森非常看重更衣室的神圣性。家丑不可外扬，关起门来的事绝不外传。他从不惹麻烦，并说自己每场比赛前都会听贾斯汀·比伯 (Justin Bieber) 的歌。由于他作为领袖的行事作风，布伦森常被拿来与著名的洋基队球星德瑞克·基特 (Derek Jeter) 相提并论。这是布伦森作为一名篮球运动员和队长已经驾轻就熟的人设。
然而，只要哈特在身边，这一切努力就全泡汤了，布伦森经常发现自己无法克制那种只有最亲近的人每天才能看到的爱玩天性。无论是在公开场合还是在幕后，我经常是他们恶作剧的“受害者”。12月在NBA季中锦标赛期间，我问哈特是否认为布伦森是篮球界“同体量最强得分手”，因为我相信如果这位老朋友不这么认为，他会说实话。结果，谈话的大部分内容变成了调侃布伦森缺乏运动能力、速度和身高。最后，哈特终于切入了正题。
“按身高比例来说，我认为他是最棒的，”哈特说——随后两人哄堂大笑。
没有什么画面比12月NBA季中锦标赛之后的场景更能体现这段友谊的荒诞了。当时尼克斯在拉斯维加斯的T-Mobile球馆击败了马刺，赢得了他们50多年来的第一个“冠军”。在球场中央，漫天彩带从屋顶飘落，全队都站在临时搭建的舞台上。布伦森站在最前面，试图在奖杯底部找个位置亲手举起它。哈特就在他身后。就在布伦森伸手去拿奖杯的那一刻，在全NBA的注视下，哈特把大拇指戳向了布伦森的……嗯……阳光照不到的地方。
“那是AI合成的！”在这段视频疯传后，哈特开玩笑地发推特写道。
笑死我了，在尼克斯的NBA季中锦标赛夺冠庆祝期间，乔什·哈特把大拇指戳进了杰伦·布伦森的屁股里
(来源：@ BrickCenter_)
— Kicks (@ kicks) December 17, 2025
这两个人余生都得伴随着这个画面度过了。只要NBA季中锦标赛还存在，这个镜头就会一直被播放。朋友之间确实会做些傻事。
在2023年的季后赛中，哈特和布伦森在赢球后一起登上了发言席。当一个问题抛给他们其中一人回答时，哈特咬了一口披萨。布伦森显然被他的朋友在麦克风前咀嚼的声音弄得很烦躁。布伦森没有回答问题，而是自己问了一个问题。
“你打算嚼完吗？”他说道。
布伦森和哈特常常让人觉得形影不离。他们的家人会聚在一起。无论在哪个客场球馆，他们的更衣柜总是紧挨在一起。
许多队友之间无法做到像他们这样向彼此展现脆弱的一面。在媒体面前，布伦森和哈特经常互相调侃，因为他们的关系就是这么铁。他们试图用玩笑来掩饰，但玩笑里总带着几分真心。
自从在纽约再次成为队友后，两人开始一起主持一档名为《The Roommates Show》（室友秀）的播客节目。在4月的一期节目中，布伦森透露史蒂夫·纳什 (Steve Nash) 是他最喜欢的控球后卫。哈特暗自发笑。布伦森问哈特为什么觉得这很好笑。
“为什么他是你最喜欢的？”哈特问道，“你一点都没模仿他。……好吧，那你是什么时候开始不传球的？”
布伦森反驳道：“当你加入我队里的时候。”
哈特：“所以你是说你一到维拉诺瓦就变成了一个自私的球员？这就是为什么我们当时不喜欢你。”
布伦森：“这就是为什么我们能赢。”
这两个人之间有一种坦诚，正因为说话的人是彼此，所以即使有些话很刺耳，对方也能接受。我曾多次让哈特夸奖布伦森，而他总是要先损对方一句。布伦森也是如此，他曾拒绝回答我关于哈特的问题，因为他不想说对方任何好话。但归根结底，他们都把对方的利益放在心上。从大学时代起，布伦森 and 哈特就在赛场上携手历经了风风雨雨。
在球场上，布伦森是一个冷酷无情的杀手。他成了对手挥之不去的梦魇，因为在大多数情况下，目送他的皮球穿网而过，是对手带着又一场败仗回到更衣室前经历的最后一幕。而当皮球被抛向空中时，哈特同样是个“疯子”。他能抢下每一个二分之一球。他是历史上最会抢篮板的后卫之一。他会和裁判争论，并且由于拼抢过于凶狠，他的韧带上经常缠着多处医疗绷带。
然而在场下，这两个人完美诠释了友谊最美好的品质以及随之而来的傻气。他们是发自内心地想和对方待在一起。玩笑、坦诚，这一切都在滋养着这段长达十年的兄弟情。
这在职业体育界是很难得的。
更多回忆
近距离观察了“维拉诺瓦尼克斯”两年，我发现一个主旋律：自信。
他们对自己的能力充满信心，对外界如何看待他们充满信心，也大方地承认彼此的友谊。在这项充满阳刚之气的运动中，布伦森、哈特和布里奇斯并不试图掩饰他们的友谊以及随之而来的各种怪癖。他们欣然接受，这一点在其中一人在场上接受赛后采访、而另一人试图偷偷拍他屁股时表现得淋漓尽致。同样，朋友之间确实会做些傻事，但通常不会有数百万人看着。
如今，纽约已经站在了终结漫长冠军荒的门槛上，对于这座如此热爱篮球的城市来说，这一天等得太久了。如果这一幕真的发生，很大程度上要归功于这群已经长大成人的维拉诺瓦男孩。与此同时，他们依然保持着让他们走到今天的这份纯真。
接下来会发生什么，谁也说不准。（我们征求了员工的意见，在26名投票者中，有10人预测纽约将在六场内夺冠，不管这参考价值有多大。）
毫无疑问，纽约在总决赛中将会遭遇本赛季季后赛中鲜少见到的逆境，因为他们此前打出了季后赛历史上最具统治力的表现之一。而拥有高大威猛的维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的马刺，将会带来诸多挑战，迫使尼克斯进行艰难的对话，并做出战术调整。
然而，当你和队友拥有共同的现实经历时，这些困难就更容易克服。“维拉诺瓦尼克斯”在篮球场上共同经历了一切。他们深知彼此的脾气和习惯。这是没有多少球队敢说自己拥有的优势。
“我们真的很喜欢在一起打球，”在尼克斯对阵骑士大比分3-0领先后，布伦森说道，“我们建立了极佳的化学反应。我喜欢和这些家伙一起打球。他们对我来说意义重大。这真的很有趣。”
布里奇斯和阵容中的每一位队友都有专属的击掌动作。这种情谊是他带给球队的，让他能够融入更衣室的每一个角落。颇具深意但并不让人感到意外的是，在每场比赛开始前，布里奇斯都会确保最后两个击掌留给认识最久的那两个人——哈特和布伦森。
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：My time around the Nova Knicks: Inside the Brunson-Bridges-Hart brotherhood
My time around the Nova Knicks: Inside the Brunson-Bridges-Hart brotherhood
Josh Hart scanned the table. His trademark smirk visible for NBA fans to see. There was a trophy. Microphones. His brothers.
In the snap of a finger, I could see that Hart was flooded with memories of the past as a new one was being internalized. Hart, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges sat shoulder to shoulder inside Cleveland’s Rocket Arena after their New York Knicks swept the Cavaliers to earn the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999. The three Knicks were at a podium high off the ground, fresh off their greatest feat as teammates at this level. Nearly a decade earlier, though, this trio went through something similar. As members of the Villanova men’s college basketball team, Hart, Bridges and Brunson won national championships together.
Well, sort of.
“I need to correct you: Mikal and I won two,” Brunson interrupted when this media member asked Hart about the former college teammates sitting together after winning the Eastern Conference in the NBA. “Josh won one. Continue.”
Hart took Brunson’s jab on the chin, a rare occurrence for the man who has enough jokes to have an hour-long stand-up routine. Hart smiled, holding in any clap back he might have had cued up, and then acknowledged the moment with the emotion that it deserved.
“It’s something that is surreal,” Hart answered. “Whenever you’re in college and in that locker room, you know the goal is the NBA. You know the percent chance of you all being on the same team is slim, if not none. It’s something you talk about and dream about, but you know the reality is almost impossible. The fact that it actually came to fruition is super cool because I know the time that these guys put in and I know where their hearts are.
“We already share a bond and (are) brothers for life, and this is just another step. Obviously, this isn’t the ultimate goal, but you just keep adding memories. These are memories that we’ll have for a lifetime.”
Since this Villanova trio came together, the Knicks have reached levels they hadn’t this century. Last year, the franchise played in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. This season, it ended a 27-year NBA Finals drought — the team opens its series in San Antonio Wednesday night. There’s something about these three that works. The proof is in the wins, both in college and now professionally.
In a sport where careers can touch all four corners of the Earth, these three were able to find their way back to one another. Brunson was the first to join, back in 2022 as a free agent after his former team, the Dallas Mavericks (and many others), didn’t see what the Knicks saw in the former second-round pick. Brunson went from being a piece to the whole pie in New York and became Gotham’s knight with his huge scoring performances and late-game heroics. Hart was next, via trade in 2023. His career was good, but he had spent the first six years bouncing around from one bad team to the next. Together, they played a major role in the Knicks feeling like they were in position to take a big swing, and that came in the form of Bridges.
Throwback to Jalen Brunson finding out the Knicks traded for Josh Hart —
Brunson’s reaction was so pure.
(via @ capj1344)
— Hoop Central (@ TheHoopCentral) August 16, 2025
In 2024, the summer after New York made back-to-back Eastern Conference semifinals appearances for the first time since 2000, the Knicks traded five first-round picks to the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets for Bridges. Bridges had long been one of the league’s premier role players, but he had never made an All-Star Game. It was a hefty price for a player of his stature, but team president Leon Rose saw Bridges as the ideal puzzle piece next to Brunson, Hart and OG Anunoby, allowing the franchise to compete with the likes of the Boston Celtics. And it worked.
It’s been a winding journey for this trio over these two years, but one I’ve been able to observe up close — I landed on the beat in that same timeframe, after seven seasons covering the Detroit Pistons, and have spent the past two seasons covering this group every day.
And here is what I’ve observed: The Nova Knicks are a brotherhood, and not one fabricated for the cameras.
The Protector
Bridges’ Knicks tenure got off to a rocky start.
He spent the first 19 games shooting well below his normal efficiency. His defense wasn’t what was advertised to fans, who started making Bridges the subject of their ire as the team with championship aspirations got out to an 11-8 start. To many unsettled supporters, the Bridges trade was starting to look like the worst the franchise had made, and at that point, that was saying a lot. To me, Bridges looked lost in his role on the court and lacking confidence.
Yet, as he was trying to find his way and the aggravation grew around him, it was Hart, two years his senior, who was running to his defense. As Bridges stacked one poor game with another, reporters were looking for answers to why things were going wrong. Bridges was reserved, saying all of the right things that media-trained athletes are taught to do. I’ve got to be better. It’s a long season. I just have to make shots.
Hart, though, would find any available microphone to make sure his teammate knew he had his back, often acknowledging that it can take time for a player to adjust to a new situation. There were multiple games in a row in which I watched Hart go to bat for Bridges. He wanted to make his support as loud publicly as it was behind the scenes.
Bridges and Hart were able to have the last laugh in December. Bridges did it via his play, when he averaged 21.5 points while shooting 56 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3. A renaissance took place on Christmas Day, when Bridges scored 41 points in a three-point win over the Spurs, the team they will now see in the finals. Bridges didn’t take a victory lap after the game. I remember going to him at his locker and asking if he saw ESPN’s Disney animation of Donald Duck doing his celebration. He hadn’t yet. Bridges didn’t take this time to bask in his glory. He remained just as even-keeled as he had during his rough patch.
Hart, however, did all of his talking for him. He was his Paul Heyman.
“Now that he found (it), y’all are not saying nothing,” Hart said. “Get your damn apology forms out. I’ll be collecting them next game. Give him his flowers because he’s playing well. Let the flowers be as loud as the hate.”
Seeing the relationship between these two up close, I became curious to learn more about the dynamic in college. That is when I learned that Hart hasn’t always played the role of protector for Bridges. In fact, it was the contrary. He used to try to punk him.
Bridges started his college career at Villanova as a redshirt. Hart was an upperclassman and hated practicing (he still does). To get the most out of Hart, Wildcat coaches would try to trigger Hart with words. His head coach, Jay Wright, would say things to Hart that “you can’t say in an interview” just to tick him off. It often worked. However, Bridges was often the person tasked with guarding Hart, who was always practicing angrily and out of spite.
The relationship started off more adversarial.
“He was a bully when I first got to campus,” Bridges said. “I had nothing wrong with him. He didn’t like me at the beginning. There might have been a little fear of a 6-foot-6 lanky kid who was looking pretty solid. I think he had a little fear factor.”
Everyone around the Villanova program acknowledged how much Hart intentionally tried to terrorize Bridges back then. Yet, as time progressed, coaches started to view it as the best thing to happen to Bridges. Many believe it helped make him the player we see today, the one who can rise above adversity the same way his midrange jumper rises above defenders.
“The Josh Hart you guys see now, he was that from Day 1,” Villanova assistant coach Ashley Howard told The Athletic. “He was fierce, tough, nasty and a competitor. Lo and behold, what ends up happening is that you get a Mikal Bridges who is a young freshman and was committed the whole year to improving his body, doing skill work and watching film. His game day was practice. His game day was against Josh Hart, this dude who we all knew was the toughest and nastiest on the floor. He made Mikal better.”
Some viewed it as tough love, even if Hart never made his intentions known.
“Any time Josh got his shot blocked and there was a change of possession, the next time Mikal got the ball, whether it was on the break or chasing him down or within the half court, it was like big brother versus little brother,” Villanova assistant coach Mike Nardi said. “Josh tried to send a message. We all believe that helped lead to Mikal becoming who he is. They were competing every single day.”
Bridges’ time with the Knicks has had several highs and lows on the court. Yet, he always shows up when it matters most. And every time, Hart is there to either have his back or to remind people of who Bridges is when things are going well.
The relationship has evolved from a sibling rivalry to Hart playing protector.
The comedians
Brunson tries his darndest to be responsible with all that his star power brings. Brunson is never too high, never too low when talking to the media. He gives you enough, but never too much. Brunson takes the sanctity of the locker room seriously. What happens in house, stays in house. He stays out of trouble and says he listens to Justin Bieber before every game. Brunson has drawn comparisons to famed Yankee Derek Jeter because of how he carries himself as a leader. It’s a persona that Brunson, the basketball player and captain, has mastered.
However, all of that is in jeopardy when Hart is around, and Brunson often finds himself unable to hold back the playful personality that people who know him best get to see daily. I’ve often been on the other end of their antics, both publicly and behind the scenes. In December, at the NBA Cup, I asked Hart if he viewed Brunson as the best “pound-for-pound scorer” in basketball, believing that the longtime friend would tell the truth if he didn’t think so. The bulk of the conversation turned into jokes about Brunson’s lack of athleticism, speed and height. And then Hart eventually got to the point.
“Inch for inch, I think he’s the best,” Hart said — before the two broke out laughing.
No better image personifies the ridiculousness of this friendship than what happened after the NBA Cup in December, where the Knicks took down the Spurs inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to win their first “championship” in 50-plus years. At center court, as confetti was falling from the roof, the entire team was on a makeshift stage. Brunson was front and center, trying to find room on the bottom of the trophy to raise it himself. Behind him was Hart. As soon as Brunson reached for the hardware, Hart, with the entire NBA watching, stuck his thumb up Brunson’s … well … where the sun doesn’t shine.
“It was AI!” Hart jokingly tweeted after the clip went viral.
LMAO Josh Hart shoved his thumb up Jalen Brunson’s butt during the Knicks’ NBA Cup trophy celebration
(via @ BrickCenter_)
— Kicks (@ kicks) December 17, 2025
Those two will have to live with that moment for the rest of their lives. It’ll be shown for as long as the NBA Cup is in existence. Friends do goofy things.
In the 2023 playoffs, Hart and Brunson took the podium together following a win. As a question was posed for either to answer, Hart took a bite of pizza. Brunson was clearly perturbed by the sound of his friend chewing while in front of a microphone. Instead of answering, Brunson asked a question himself.
“Are you going to finish chewing?” he said.
Brunson and Hart often feel inseparable. Their families hang out together. Their lockers on the road are right next to each other, no matter the arena.
There’s a level of vulnerability that these two share with one another that many teammates don’t have. Through the media, Brunson and Hart often take jabs at one another because the bond is that strong. They try to couch it with jokes, but there’s always a little truth in jokes.
The two started doing a podcast together, “The Roommates Show,” once they became teammates again in New York. During an April episode, Brunson revealed that Steve Nash was his favorite point guard. Hart snickered. Brunson asked why Hart thought that was funny.
“Why was he your favorite?” Hart asked. “You didn’t emulate him at all. … OK, so when did you stop passing?”
Brunson retorted: “When you were on my team.”
Hart: “So you’re saying you got to be a selfish player once you got to Villanova? That’s why we didn’t like you.”
Brunson: “That’s why we won.”
There’s a level of honesty that these two share with one another that can be delivered and hit because of who the messenger is. I’ve asked Hart many times to praise Brunson and he has to throw a dig first. The same goes for Brunson, who has denied questions I’ve asked him about Hart because he doesn’t want to say anything nice about him. In the end, they have one another’s best interests at heart. Brunson and Hart have been through it all together between the lines, dating to college.
On the court, Brunson is a stone-cold killer. He lives rent-free in the minds of opposing teams because, more often than not, his shooting the ball through the hoop is the last thing people experience before they go back to their locker room with another loss. Hart, too, is a wild man when the ball is tossed into the air. He wins every loose ball. He’s one of the best rebounding guards of all-time. He argues with referees and often has multiple medical wraps on ligaments because of how hard he plays.
Yet, away from the court, these two personify the best qualities of friendship and the silliness that comes with it. There is a genuine want to be around each other. Jokes. Honesty. It all fuels this decade-long brotherhood.
It’s hard to get that in professional sports.
More memories
Observing the Nova Knicks up close for two years, there is one main theme: Confidence.
They’re confident in their abilities, they’re confident in how they’re perceived and they’re confident in acknowledging their friendship. In this macho sport, Brunson, Hart and Bridges don’t try to hide their friendship and all of the quirks that come with it. They embrace it, as made evident when one of them is doing a postgame interview on the court and the other tries to sneak in a butt tap. Again, friends do goofy stuff, but millions of people aren’t usually watching.
Now, New York is on the doorstep of ending a drought too long for a city so passionate. And if that happens, it’ll be in large part because of these kids from Villanova who have grown into men. All while still keeping that innocence that got them this far.
Whatever happens next is anyone’s guess. (We asked our staff, and 10 of 26 voters picked New York to win in six, for whatever that’s worth.)
Without question, New York will hit adversity in the finals that it’s seen very little of this postseason, as it’s rattled off one of the most dominant runs in playoff history. The Spurs, with the towering Victor Wembanyama, will present challenges that’ll force tough conversations to be had and things to be done differently.
Those things are easier to overcome, though, when you have real-life experiences with your teammates. The Nova Knicks have been through it all on a basketball court. They know what makes each other tick as individuals. That’s an advantage that not many teams can say that they have.
“We genuinely like playing together,” Brunson said after the Knicks went up 3-0 against the Cavaliers. “We’ve created a chemistry that has been great. I love playing with these guys. They mean a lot to me. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Bridges has a handshake with every teammate on the roster. That camaraderie is something he brings to the team, which allows him to touch every corner of the locker room. It’s telling, but not particularly surprising, that before every game, Bridges makes sure the last two handshakes go to the two guys he’s known the longest, Hart and Brunson.
By James L. Edwards III, via The Athletic