As he answered a call recently at his Jersey Shore home, Ryan Arcidiacono noted that seated next to him holding his six-month-old daughter Scarlett was, ironically enough, a chum from the Villanova Class of 2016: former head student manager Alex Mortillaro, now the Assistant Oversight Director of the NIT.

It's been a decade now since "Arch" raced the basketball into the frontcourt in Houston and fed the ball to Kris Jenkins, leading to the iconic game-winning 3-pointer for the NCAA national championship. Arcidiacono, like many of his former teammates, is now the father of a young family with plans to continue his professional basketball career for at least another season in 2026-27. He logged 257 games in the National Basketball Association from 2018-24 and more overseas.

Yet the seasoned veteran is reminded often of his Nova roots, especially in the spring of 2026 as the New York Knicks have taken a 1-0 series lead in the NBA Finals heading into Game 2 Friday night in San Antonio.

Of course, Arcidiacono's perspective is unique not only for his college connection to Nova Knicks Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Part of his NBA tenure was spent as Brunson's teammate with New York before he was dealt in February 2023 to Portland in the swap that delivered Hart to Manhattan.

"The Knicks were great to me," Arcidiacono stated. "They even brought me back the next year (2023-24). I had to be part of the trade for Josh to make the salaries work so I get that part of it too."

When he watches these Knicks, he sees Brunson's fingerprints everywhere.

"Jalen is a tone-setter," said Arcidiacono. "He brings out the best in people. He's the connector."

Eleven years ago, Arcidiacono was tasked by then head coach Jay Wright with taking on a mentor's role with a McDonald's All-American from Illinois. As a rising senior who had shared BIG EAST Player of the Year honors in 2014-15 with Kris Dunn, the notion of bringing in another elite point guard like Brunson could have easily become problematic. It never reached that point.

"Jalen is an easy person to get along with," stated Arcidiacono.

On Brunson's official visit, Arcidiacono served as his host.

"We stayed together that weekend and I think there was an immediate respect level," he said. "He certainly had my respect, and it felt like that went both ways. There was just an instant connection."

It was common practice during Wright's stewardship to pair players at the same position as road roommates. Through the course of 2015-16, Arcidiacono and Brunson shared hotel rooms when the 'Cats were away from home.

Early in that campaign, Villanova was in Brooklyn for a pair of games at Thanksgiving. The Wildcats rolled past Stanford and Georgia Tech to 6-0. Brunson was named to the all-tournament team after scoring 13 points in the "Black Friday" victory at Barclays Center on a day when Nova was just 5-of-15 from beyond the 3-point arc (.333). Brunson did the first of many postgame television interviews on the court.

In the locker room afterward, Wright noted that Brunson's scoring was, in this case, owed to a lot of his veteran teammates taking care of the "dirty work" – screening, rebounding, holding the Yellow Jackets to 52 points.

"Jalen is a great scorer and he's always had that," said Arcidiacono. "In our system, the older guys understood there is a lot of dirty work that opens up those opportunities. Jalen picked up on that quickly and once he did that, it was off to the races."

Eight years later, the pair shared a surreal moment.

In February 2023, then with the Knicks, Arcidiacono and many of his teammates and coaches came to Finneran Pavilion to support Brunson for his jersey retirement ceremony. The Knicks were set to meet the 76ers the next night. It was to be a special evening.

"I had to be there for Jalen," said Arcidiacono.

Arcidiacono's then fiancée, now wife, Claire, was preparing for a trip and asked him if she should hold off, given that there were rumors of an impending trade ahead of the deadline.

"Nah, go ahead," Arcidiacono told her. "I think I'm fine."

Arcidiacono – whose own jersey had been retired in another ceremony – had just finished up a radio interview after halftime when Jenkins walked by him and said, "Josh got traded to the Knicks." Given how trades happen in the NBA – the contract dollars have to match up – Arcidiacono suddenly had a sinking feeling that his veteran salary would need to be included. His fears were soon realized when he looked at his phone and saw his agent calling.

"It was just chaotic," Arcidiacono said. "I was trying to find my parents to tell them, and my phone was blowing up."

Yet Arcidiacono, as he had so often on the court, remain composed. He had committed to a post-game podcast with Wright and did so. Walking past a staffer on the way out that night he shrugged his shoulders and said, "hey, it's life in the NBA."

The 2025-26 season offered its own share of upheaval for Arcidiacono. He signed with a team in Italy, only to see it fold. Prior to signing, he had spoken with former Saint Joseph's and Knicks guard Langston Galloway, who had played there in 2024-25 and he had only good things to say about his experience. So, the closing up of shop was jarring.

"The shame of it is that we were a good team," he said.

There was also a short stint playing in Puerto Rico.

The good news is that Arcidiacono is healthy and eager to extend his career for at least another season. There is much to be sorted out in terms of destination, but in the meantime, he'll be at his home near the Shore enjoying life with his young family and the large Arcidiacono clan. He'll be tuned into the Finals too.

"Life happens," Arcidiacono said as the conversation concluded. "I'm glad I'm still connected to my friends from Villanova. That's what makes this Knicks run so special. It looks like a fun group to play with. The main reason for that is Jalen."