Villanova’s Brunson to enter NBA draft
Being the old-school point guard that he is, Jalen Brunson turned to a little-used method of communication to announce that he will forgo his senior season at Villanova and enter the 2018 NBA draft.
The consensus national Player of the Year did so in a 200-word letter he titled: “A message to my Villanova family.”
“It is with great honor and privilege that I have called Villanova University my home for the past three years,” Brunson wrote. “When I decided to commit to Coach Jay Wright and the basketball program, I was driven by three goals: Getting my education, competing at the highest level and winning a national championship. While I pride myself on remaining disciplined and focused to achieve these goals, I have grown as a man and have established lifelong relationships with my teammates, classmates, members of the basketball staff, fellow student-athletes and the wonderful educators and administrators of this prestigious university.
“After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft and hire an agent. I want to thank my parents, family members including extended family, and close friends for their continued love and support through this process. I would also like to thank all the coaches that I have had throughout my career for everything they have done for me and my family. Lastly, I want to thank my teammates for welcoming me to a family that I am forever grateful for being able to join.
“Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat! “Love, “Jalen Brunson” And with that, one of the greatest careers in Villanova men’s basketball history came to an end.
As a junior, Brunson averaged 19.2 points and 4.6 rebounds to guide the Wildcats to a 36-4 re-
cord and a second national title in three years and the third in program history. His scoring average was the highest in a season since Randy Foye averaged 20.5 points per game in 2005-06.
Brunson won every national Player of the Year award including the John R. Wooden Award as well as the top honors from the Associated Press, Naismith, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and The Sporting News. Brunson joins Hallof-Famer Paul Arizin as the only Villanova players to be recognized as the national
Player of the Year.
Brunson also received the Bob Cousy Award as the top point guard in the country and was a second-team Academic All-American. He ranks 16th in career scoring (1,667) and 13th in career assists (432). He is just the sixth player in program history with 1,600 points and 400 assists, a feat he accomplished in just three seasons.
During that time, Villanova went 103-13, won two national titles, two Big East regular-season and tournament championships and never lost back-to-back games. Brunson will graduate in May with a degree in communications.
Brunson’s announcement came one day after swingman Mikal Bridges announced on ESPN that he
will forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the NBA draft. The 6-3 Brunson is expected to go anywhere from the late first round to the middle of the second round, depending on which mock draft you believe. Bridges is projected as a lottery pick.
“Jalen has left an indelible mark on our university and our basketball program,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said in a statement released by the university. “He is both the consummate Villanova basketball player and Villanova student-athlete, a leader on and off the court. We’re proud of the man he has become. This is an intelligent decision and I have every confidence in his ability to succeed at the professional level.”