Stephen A. Smith’s bizarre comments on Villanova players from 2016 go viral again after Mikal Bridges’ Knicks trade

The Knicks have added Mikal Bridges to reunite the 2016 Villanova Wildcats.

Stephen A. Smith’s bizarre comments on Villanova players from 2016 go viral again after Mikal Bridges’ Knicks trade

Stephen A. Smith's Villanova players opinion is going viral after Mikal Bridges trade

Stephen A. Smith often becomes a topic of discussion among the NBA world for his controversial takes about players and teams. From time to time the analyst is proven wrong for his outrageous opinions and gets called out. A similar situation has occurred as Smith’s take back in 2016 has resurfaced after the Knicks’ recent moves.

In 2016 the Villanova Wildcats dominated college basketball and won the NCAA championship after 31 years. The roster consisted the today’s stars of the NBA, including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Mikal Bridges. However, Stephen A. Smith did not see NBA potential in these players at the time. The analyst called out the team during ESPN’s First Take. 

Villanova doesn't have a real NBA prospect on this squad.
Stephen A. Smith on First Take

Smith was shut down at the time itself as the analyst made this statement and the team won the championship and also again in 2018. But more importantly, seven of the players on that Villanova roster are currently active in the league. To make matters more interesting four of them are now on the same team in the NBA.

FS Video

After the New York Knicks recruited DiVincenzo, three former Wildcats changed the course of the team. The squad almost made it to the Conference finals while being the second seed in the East. Now, the team has added the final missing piece, Bridges to reunite the Wildcats. The Knicks will be able to find more success with the new addition. Hence, it seems that Smith’s take will be proven wrong for more years to come. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to many considering Smith has never been in the shoes of any athlete, let alone some of the best in the nation.

Stephen A. Smith was hyped after the Knicks recruited Mikal Bridges

After criticizing the Villanova squad in 2016, Smith has shown incredible support to the Knicks this season. The analyst was rooting for the team against the Indiana Pacers but also called them out after the Knicks lost in Game 7. However, Smith is again switching sides after hearing the Bridges news.

Smith posted his epic reaction on his social media as he ironically addressed the critics. The analyst had high praise for Bridges as he was excited about the chemistry the team is about to showcase. According to Smith, Bridges fits well in the Knicks culture which will have an impact on the team’s next season. 

You crawl before you walk. We crawled last year, we gonna walk and we close to sprinting. I still think we need another piece! But we have moved in the right direction. I like this!... Go New York Go New York Go!
Stephen A. Smith on X

Smith might receive backlash for changing his opinion but the analyst is not entirely wrong. The team might be able to make it to the ECF with Bridges’ addition. It will be interesting to the Knicks’ season next season and the reunion of the Wildcats.

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