From the ‘Nova Knicks to a Sixers castoff turned Spurs starter: All the Philly connections to the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs begin at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. And there will be Philly connections all over the series, with some reigniting memories of past glory for teams in the area and others serving as painful reminders of what could have been.

Here’s a look at all of the Philly ties to the NBA Finals.

Jalen Brunson: Brunson has deep roots to Philly. His father and Knicks assistant coach, Rick Brunson, played for Temple and made his final NBA stop in training camp with the 76ers. And after playing high school basketball at Stevenson in Chicago, Jalen Brunson returned to Philly for college. He considered Temple but opted for Villanova and was a starter the moment he landed on campus. Brunson spent three seasons with the Wildcats and won two national titles, serving as the engine of the 2018 team and winning the Wooden and Naismith Awards as the unanimous Player of the Year.

» READ MORE: What makes Knicks star Jalen Brunson so special? ‘The magic is in the work.’

Mikal Bridges: Bridges was born in Philly, attended Great Valley High School and was named to multiple Inquirer all-area basketball teams. He became a star for Villanova, winning two national titles. He entered the 2018 NBA draft and was selected No. 10 by the Sixers, who employed his mother, Tyneeha Rivers, at the time, before being traded to the Phoenix Suns. Bridges, from Malvern, was not happy with the deal at the time and continues to discuss his hometown team’s decision to part ways only moments after selecting him.

Josh Hart: A Maryland native and Sidwell Friends School star, Hart’s connection to the Philly area started with his college recruitment, when he decided among Villanova, Penn State, and Rutgers. He chose the Wildcats, and the rest was history, as Hart went on to win the 2016 NCAA championship and pick up a number of accolades along the way.

Landry Shamet: The Sixers selected Shamet with the 26th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He played well in 54 games, averaging 8.3 points and shooting 40.3% from three-point range as a rookie. He was quickly swept up in the deal that brought Tobias Harris to town in 2019. He has served as a solid role player since then, but played a major role in the Knicks’ postseason sweeps of the Sixers and Cavaliers.

» READ MORE: Mike Gansey is the guy for Bob Myers and the Sixers on paper. But what exactly will that mean in practice?

Maurice Cheeks: Cheeks, now an assistant coach with the Knicks, played 11 years with the Sixers, averaging 12.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. He played alongside Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Andrew Tony, and Bobby Jones in the 1983 NBA Finals. Cheeks also coached in Philly over the course of 10 years as an assistant and head coach.

Rick Brunson: Brunson played point guard for Temple great John Chaney, which is no small feat, and he did so with flying colors. Brunson played in the NCAA Tournament every season of his four-year career, averaging 12 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2 steals. He went on to play nine seasons in the NBA and spent one training camp with the Sixers, losing the final spot to a rookie Lou Williams. He later attempted to coach at Temple as an assistant but lost the position when he was charged with attempted criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, and domestic battery. He was acquitted in 2015.

Julian Champagnie: The forward signed with the Sixers as an undrafted rookie. He was brought in as a two-way player in 2022-23 and was waived after playing in only two games. He recently opened up about that moment, explaining to reporters that he “thought it was over” at 22 years old. Far from it. Champagnie immediately latched on with the Spurs and gradually improved over four seasons, to the point that he’s now a starter on an NBA Finals team.

Corliss Williamson: Better known for his days as a player at Arkansas and with the Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons, Williamson is now an assistant with the Spurs. He has been a coach since his playing career ended in 2007. But before he retired as a member of the Kings, Williamson played for the Sixers in the 2004-05 season. He was productive in 48 games, producing 10.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 22 minutes.