Villanova in the Pros: Jalen Brunson Nearing a Return

Two-time Villanova national champion and current New York Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson is out of a walking boot and slowly returning to basketball activities after suffering a right ankle sprain on March 6.

Initial reports stated that Brunson would miss at least two weeks because of the injury. The Knicks’ public relations department posted to Twitter on Saturday, March 22 that Brunson “is doing controlled court work and his status will be updated in approximately one week,” pushing his earliest possible return to March 29. Notably, a status update is far different from an actual return to game action.

Since Brunson’s injury, the Knicks struggled to a 4-4 record with all of their wins coming against teams with a record at .500 or worse. Fellow Villanova alumnus Mikal Bridges stepped up in his teammate’s absence, nailing a buzzer-beater to carry the Knicks past Portland, but it’s clear that New York misses the presence of Brunson, whose 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game this season rank seventh and eighth in the NBA, respectively.

The Knicks’ hold on the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference is down to just three games, but with the playoffs fast approaching — New York will play their regular season finale against Brooklyn on April 13 — ensuring Brunson has time to make a return to full health takes precedence.

While Villanova and Knicks fans haven’t had a chance to see Brunson take the court in recent weeks, he’s made plenty of appearances on television sets as he, Bridges, and fellow Wildcats’ alumni Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo starred in a March Madness commercial for AT&T.