Villanova in the Pros: Jalen Brunson Learns Injury Timetable

Former Villanova Wildcat and current Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson will miss at least two weeks with a right ankle sprain per a report from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.

The 28-year-old standout suffered the injury while driving to the basket during the overtime period of New York’s March 6 loss to the Lakers. He had scored 39 points prior to the play and netted the game-tying free throws after the resulting foul call. Brunson’s 26.3 points per game (seventh) and 7.4 assists (eighth) both rank among the top ten in the NBA this season, and his clutch baskets are a big reason why the Knicks possess a 40-23 record that gives them the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

While the “at least” in Charania’s report may provoke anxiety for fans of Brunson and the Knicks, his current timeline for return looks like a best case scenario… barring full health. His initial injury appeared serious — especially when slowed down, played and analyzed frame by frame as some fans do in an attempt at armchair orthopedics — with concerns about high ankle sprains or surgery.

With barely a month to go in the regular season, Brunson should have time to return to the court and get his feet under him in preparation for another playoff run.