Villanova in the Pros: Jalen Brunson Named Clutch Player of the Year

Villanova alumnus Jalen Brunson received the 2024-25 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year award on Wednesday, April 23, recognizing his ability to elevate his game at moments when his team needs him most.

A starter in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career this season, Brunson received the honor in landslide fashion, receiving 70 of 100 first place votes and 426 points overall: next closest was Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić with 312 points, while third place received a distant 47 points.

Although Brunson missed a month of playing time due to a right ankle sprain at the tail end of the season, he averaged a league-best 5.6 points in clutch time, a statistic defined as the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime wherein the score remains within five points. Brunson made 51.5 percent of his shots, 84 percent of his free throws and added an average of one assist per game in such scenarios, helping the Knicks to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in doing so and sinking a series of go-ahead, game-tying or game-winning shots.

His 26.0 points and 7.3 assists per game both ranked No. 8 in the NBA this season and, despite recently recovering from that ankle injury, Brunson started the postseason on a similar tear, averaging 35.5 points per game to open the playoffs. A 2018 Villanova graduate, Brunson won two national championships with the Wildcats, playing with current Knicks teammates Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges in doing so.