Call it divine intervention.
Some Knicks fans think the fact that Pope Leo is a Villanova alum — like the team’s stars Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges — is sure to lead them to their first NBA championship in more than 50 years.
Spike Lee echoed the sentiment on Instagram Thursday, the day the papal news broke, proclaiming: “For My NEW YAWK KNICKS FANS His Alma Mater Is VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (BRUNSON,HART And BRIDGES Won NCAA Rings At VILLANOVA)What A HOLY BLESSING. 🙏🏾THE KNICKERBOCKERS ARE G🏀-NNA WIN THE 2024-2025 NBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IT IS DIVINITY.GOD BLESS.🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾And Dat’s Da H🏀LY TRUTH.”
Brunson, Hart and Bridges won the NCAA championship at the Pennsylvania basketball powerhouse in 2016. Brunson and Bridges won a second title in 2018.
Rev. Robert Hagan, the Villanova men’s basketball team chaplain — who served the Wildcats when Brunson, Hart and Bridges played — told The Post he disagrees with the notion.
“It doesn’t work that way,” he said, laughing.
Despite his busy schedule, Pope Leo, whose name is Robert Francis Prevost, does try his best to keep up with Villanova hoops.
“I think he’s proud to be a Wildcat,” Hagan said.
“When I would see him, he would comment about the team and how they were doing, so I could tell on occasion, he was following it.”
Villanova University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue however, said the papal Nova Knicks connection may bring the team even more motivation during the playoffs.
“Who can tell? They’re playing well. Maybe this will inspire them even more,” he said.