In the 2010s, Villanova cemented itself as one of the best basketball programs, with consecutive championships. They carried the reputation of a hard-working and gritty team on the court. Following the program’s National Championship in 2016, they visited he White House. The entire team participated in the, at the time, viral ‘Running Man Challenge’.
Advertisement
The ‘Running Man Challenge’ was a dance that went viral in 2016. It featured the song ‘My Boo’ by Ghost Town DJs. People young and old were infected with the urge to dance by this song. The Villanova Wildcats were no different. The video displayed the nature of the leaders on that roster. However, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges stole the show.
8 years since Villanova broke out the Running Man Challenge at the White House. Who did it best? pic.twitter.com/SLHSuxnNhk
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 22, 2024
The 6-foot-2 point guard hilariously struggled to catch the rhythm of the song. Bridges, on the other hand, was extremely smooth. It wasn’t his first time doing the viral dance, as he posted earlier in that season his rendition.
The original @mikal_bridges pic.twitter.com/XvjhZ5BRhH
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 22, 2024
The team chemistry was on full display as the entire team got in on the action. There were a few notable players like Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Eric Paschall, and Ryan Arcidiacono also in the video, and the man responsible for the title-winning buzzer beater, Kris Jenkins, was present too.
Fast forward to the year 2024, and four of the core members of that team are now teammates on the New York Knicks.
Villanova has taken over the NBA
During college, none were polarizing players but they knew how to win. Brunson was a steady point guard who knew how to control the game. He’s only enhanced those abilities and evolved into an All-NBA guard. Bridges was a great wing defender that could space out the court. He immediately made an impact once he made his NBA debut.
DiVincenzo was a backup for the majority of his college career. Since then, he’s developed into a reliable three-point shooter. Hart has experienced different stages of his career. Initially not a scorer, he eventually developed into one during his senior season. That experience helped mould his versatility as a player. He’s evolved into a hustle player, that plays with an incredible motor.
Out of the core four, consisting of Brunson, Bridges, DiVincenzo, and Hart, Mikal is the only one to have been drafted as a lottery pick.
However, it resulted in each player navigating their journey throughout the NBA. Leading them to be brought back together as teammates on the Knicks ahead of the 2024-25 season.
