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The New York Knicks‘ biggest offseason acquisition, Mikal Bridges, cannot wait to get the season started and play with his old Villanova crew.
“I’m pairing up with a lot of psychos and I’m happy to be here,” Bridges said September 7 at “The Roommates Show Block Party,” per the New York Post.
Bridges has reunited with his old Villanova crew — Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo — with the Knicks.
Bridges was one of the guests on Brunson and Hart’s podcast, which was recorded live in Central Park.
The newest member of the New York Knicks, @mikal_bridges 🧡💙
More than 5,000 Knicks fans, according to Rosenfield Media Group, gathered at the live event also graced by comedy legend Jon Stewart, JB Smoove, former Knicks player and hometown kid Stephon Marbury and musical act Action Bronson.
But the Knicks fans were most excited to see Bridges, the latest major addition to a team that won 50 games last season and came one win away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Long offseason. I got the itch right now,” Bridges said, per New York Post. “I’m ready right now. I’m active. It’s been too long.”
On top of his college buddies, Bridges is also reunited with another close friend, Cam Payne, his former Phoenix Suns teammate.
Jalen Brunson Reveals Everything You Should Know About Mikal Bridges
Three weeks before the event, Brunson summed up perfectly what the Knicks are getting in Bridges.
“That man got off the plane from London last night [August 16]. And then he was in the gym this morning [August 17], bright and early,” Brunson revealed at Fanatics Fest NYC on August 16. “That should tell you everything you need to know about him.”
It turns out Brides is also a “psycho” himself, which fits the culture the Knicks have built under no-nonsense and demanding coach Tom Thibodeau.
While Brunson and Bridges are excited to be reunited, there is immense pressure to deliver this coming season after what the Knicks gave up to get him across the Brooklyn Bridge from the Nets.
The Knicks traded four unprotected and one top-four protected pick for Bridges, who has never been an All-Star in his first six seasons in the league. But for Brunson, that is so worth it.
“He just fits the puzzle perfectly,” Brunson said, “like he just can do whatever you ask of him and then more. And that’s kind of a person he is.”
Ryan Arcidiacono ‘Unlikely’ to Complete Knicks’ Villanova Fives: Report
The Knicks are unlikely to bring back fan favorite and former Villanova star Ryan Arcidiacono, SNY’s Ian Begley reported on September 6.
“Worth noting here: people familiar with the matter said late last month that it was unlikely that the Knicks would use their 15th spot to sign backup guard Ryan Arcidiacono,” Begley wrote.
Arcidiacono, who was the Most Outstanding Player during the Wildcats championship run in 2016, had three stints with the Knicks since the 2021-22 season as Thibodeau grew fond of his professionalism.
“He’s been terrific. Whether it’s practice or when you throw him in a game. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s competitive,” Thibodeau said of Arcidiacono, per SNY, in October 2022 when he made the roster. “He can think on his feet, he can play multiple positions. A career [37] percent 3-point shooter. So he’s done a really good job. He’s stood out in practice. He’s played really well.”
While he earned Thibodeau’s respect, “people familiar with the matter felt that it was unlikely Arcidiacono would be back under the current Knicks roster,” according to Begley.
Begley added that Arcidiacono’s chances to reunite with his college buddies in Knicks uniform hinge on a trade that opens up more roster spots, especially in the backcourt.
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Mikal Bridges Calls Knicks Teammates ‘Psychos’: Report