Report: Knicks Interested in Yet Another Villanova Alum

The New York Knicks might not be finished adding names to their Villanova gauntlet.

Apr 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) during the second quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Having reportedly added yet another Villanova alum to the fold, the New York Knicks still don't seem to be satisfied with the gems in their Wildcat gauntlet.

Shortly after the Knicks were said to have traded for Mikal Bridges, a report from Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports stated that the team may also be interested in current Philadelphia 76er Kyle Lowry, who likewise made a name for himself on the Main Line.

"Bridges always had an eye for New York, sources said, especially after the Knicks added Donte DiVincenzo last summer following the February 2023 trade deadline deal that brought Josh Hart through the door," Fischer said. "These Wildcat connections run deep, and Kyle Lowry has even been mentioned by NBA figures as a target for New York in free agency, sources said."

Little more needs to be said about the Knicks tapping into the Villanova pipeline, which began when the team signed Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2022. Brunson has since established himself as a franchise face in Manhattan, one that helped guide the team to 50 wins and a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference alongside collegiate teammates DiVincenzo and Hart.

Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first quarter of game 5 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Lowry graced the floor of Finneran Pavilion long before Bridges, Brunson, DiVincenzo, and Hart, but has made a strong name for himself since arriving as Memphis Grizzlies' first-round pick in 2006. The Philadelphia native has been named to six All-Star teams (2015-20) and earned a championship ring with the Toronto Raptors alongside OG Anunoby in 2019.

More recently, Lowry has been a thorn in the Knicks during the postseason: he came off the bench to put up 12.2 points and 5.7 assists for the Miami Heat in a six-game conference semifinal victory in 2023 before starting all six games for the 76ers against the Knicks in an opening round defeat.

As theorized by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (who originally reported the trade with the Brooklyn Nets that acquired Bridges), the Knicks are stocking up on wings in an attempt to compete with the defending champion Boston Celtics, who rode the talents of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to a record 18 Larry O'Brien Trophy hoist.

Mar 5, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) takes a three point shot past Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

While the Knicks might have to make a sacrifice or two to fully make the Bridges trade work (i.e. OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle), the 38-year-old Lowry might prove to be a solid depth piece that the Knicks failed to find upon bringing back Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons last season. Lowry was preseed into the 76ers' starting five last season amidst late injuries and notably shot over 44 percent from the floor, including 40.4 percent from three-point range. Those tallies were good for his best percentages since the 2016-17 season with Toronto.

Under the watch of retired head coach Jay Wright, Villanova became one of the most consistent program in the country thanks to production in the backcourt, which yielded a pair of national championships in 2016 and 2018.

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