Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Jenkins more than ‘The Shot’
RADNOR » After 338 days, the frenzy over Villanova’s 77-74 victory over North Carolina in the 2016 national championship game has died down enough that seniors Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds can go out to get something to eat without being besieged by adoring fans.
Most, of course, wanted to have their picture taken with Jenkins for obvious reasons. He was the guy who hit “The shot.”
“What shot?,” Jenkins joking said Tuesday as he and the second-ranked Wildcats (28-3) prepared for the Big East Tournament, which starts Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. “I’ve made a lot of shots.”
Yes he has, 407 to be exact, including 253 3-pointers. None,
though, were as big as the three he hit at the buzzer last April 4 at NRG Stadium in Houston to give the Wildcats their second national championship.
To his credit, Jenkins, or ‘Big Smoove,’ as he is affectionately known, has not let “The Shot,” define him or his career at Villanova.
“I have a lot of great people around me, and my family has done a good job of keeping me humble,” Jenkins said. “I feel like I still have a lot to prove not only to myself, but to my family because everything I do, I want to make them proud. Also to this team, I’m still growing and getting better and if the younger guys see that, how I’ve grown as a freshman to the end of this year, I hope I can be a great example for them.”
He has. A lot of players would have let that moment, and the celebrity that followed, go to their head, but not Jenkins. Take this season, for instance. Although he has struggled from the 3-point line lately, and his overall shooting percentage is down three points from where it was a year ago at this time (42.9 to 39.7), his other numbers are up.
Jenkins has a higher scoring average (12.912.7), a better 3-point field goal percentage (38.1-36.5) and is averaging more rebounds (4.1-3.8) than he did at the end of the regular season last year. Jenkins also is shooting better from the free throw line (88.2-82.9), and that’s with 20 more attempts.
“I’m taking what the defense gives me and playing off my teammates,” Jenkins said. “That’s the most important thing.”
And he never mentions “The Shot.” In his mind, it is one of the 964 field goal attempts he has launched in his career.
“I try not to let that shot creep into my mindset because I know where I want to get to and where I want to go to help this team,” Jenkins said. “Thinking about that shot does nothing for us.”
“He’s handled it so well all year,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “He’s gotten a lot of attention all year. I’m just so impressed with him.”
Wright is not the only one who is impressed with the way Jenkins has handled himself.
“When you have someone who hit the biggest shot in college basketball history, if not basketball history, and for them not to mention it (is amazing),” Hart said. “I have not heard him mention it once. I guarantee in about 20 or 30 years I’m going to hear that every time I see him, that along with being the MVP senior year in high school. I’m going to hear a couple of things, but as of now, he’s never said anything.
“And when you have someone who makes that big of a shot, on that kind of stage and never mention it and just focus on getting better and being coached, it’s a reality check for everybody.”
Hart and Reynolds had a first-hand view of the aftermath of that shot that Jenkins could have let get to his head. Everywhere they went they were inundated with adoring fans.
“It’s definitely dying down now,” Hart said. “You still get it, but nothing compares to the first month or two. It was like, “I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re my brother, but if you want to get something to eat, we can order in or GrubHub, but as far as going out, I’m not going out with you.”
For a college student to want to stay in, the attention had to be overwhelming.
“It was bad,” Hart said. “We’re all low-key kind of guys. Me, Kris and Darryl are real close so if we wanted to go grab a bite to eat it was impossible. People were like, ‘Oh, it’s Kris Jenkins.’ Everyone wanted a picture or an autograph. Man, can we just eat in peace, take a step back. I got it some. I can only imagine what it was like for him. I saw it firsthand a couple of times. I was like, ‘If you want to play Xbox, order some food in, let me know. We can go to my room. Other than that, I’m not going out with you.”
Hart, though, is not complaining.
“I’ll take as many pictures needed for that to happen again,” Hart said.
NOTES » The Wildcats take on the winner of Wednesday’s first game between eighth-seeded St. John’s (13-18, 7-11) and ninthseeded Georgetown (14-17, 5-13) at noon Thursday. Villanova beat both teams by double digits twice during the regular season, but had a tougher time against the Red Storm than the Hoyas.