The New York Knicks recently won the 2026 NBA Finals, clinching New York’s first championship in 53 years. Montgomery County native Josh Hart played an integral role in this long-awaited victory.
On Saturday night, Hart scored 13 points and recorded a team-high 11 rebounds as the Knicks bested the San Antonio Spurs 94-90.
Hart, 31, was born and raised in Silver Spring. He excelled at basketball from a young age and played in the Montgomery County Recreation League, earning a reputation as a high-energy player. Hart attended Wheaton High School for his freshman year before transferring to Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C.
After graduating from Villanova University, Hart was a first-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers before landing in New York.
Known for his hustle and rebounding prowess, Hart holds the Knicks’ single-season record for the most triple-doubles.
Notably, two of Hart’s current Knicks teammates — Jalen Brunson and Mikel Bridges — were also his teammates on Villanova’s 2016 national championship team, according to WTOP News.
The “Nova Knicks,” as they’re known, are the first trio of players to win both an NCAA and NBA championship together.
Hart is the second player from Montgomery County to earn an NBA title. The first was Gaithersburg’s Malcolm Miller, who won the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
