Josh Hart has message for Sixers fans mad about Knicks-Villanova connection
Philly fans need to get real.
A few New York Knicks have special ties to Philadelphia. Josh Hart won one championship at Villanova (2016), while Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo won two (2016 and 2018). It's a coincidence that the Villanova Knicks' first-round playoff matchup is the Sixers.
Villanova is outside Philly, but that didn't stop the men's basketball X account from posting a highlight reel of Hart, Brunson, and DiVincenzo from Game 2.
Our guys @jalenbrunson1 and @Divincenzo with two HUGE 3s to seal the Win in Game 2😤@jalenbrunson1 24 pts | 8 reb | 6 ast@Divincenzo 19 pts | 4 reb@joshhart 21 pts | 15 reb pic.twitter.com/dY3NKXVMHr
— Villanova MBB (@NovaMBB) April 23, 2024
Several Sixers fans took offense to Villanova highlighting the play of three of their championship players.
You’re a Philly school rooting for the opposing team. Do better.
— TheGodMonzter™ (@GodMonZter) April 23, 2024
Delete this tweet
— Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) April 23, 2024
During the playoffs, college accounts normally post highlights of former players. Especially given New York's success, did Philadelphia sports fans really think that Villanova would refrain from doing that just because the Knicks are playing the Sixers?
On Wednesday, Hart was asked about the response to the highlight clip. He said it's "idiotic" that Philly fans are mad about it because "Villanova is in our blood."
Villanova's MBB account posted a highlight reel of Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo's performances in the series. Hart is asked about it being received negatively by Philly fans:
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 24, 2024
"I think it's idiotic that Philly fans are mad about that...Villanova is in our blood" pic.twitter.com/nrqQKKMEfL
Josh Hart claps back at Sixers fans who are mad about Villanova clip
Everyone knows that Philadelphia sports fans are passionate (and that's putting it nicely), but the ones mad about a Villanova men's basketball tweet need to take a step back from their fandom for a second.
Sure, it's unfortunate that three of the Knicks' starters went to Villanova, but it is what it is. Villanova is smart to market Brunson, Hart, and DiVincenzo. It's easy content!
New York has a 92 percent chance of making it to the second round, so Philadelphia fans might want to accept that if the Knicks move on, Villanova's men's basketball account will keep highlighting the Knicks trio. How dare they!
Sixers fans need to spend more time focusing on packing the stands at Wells Fargo Center because plenty of Knicks fans will make the short trip for Games 3 and 4. Brunson received MVP chants in Philly earlier this season. He struggled offensively in the first two games of the series, but that could change in a city he's very familiar with. Wouldn't that be fun?
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