Josh Hart Bio
Joshua Aaron Hart, born on March 6, 1995, in Silver Spring, Maryland, is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the small forward position and stands 6 feet 5 inches tall. Hart holds the Knicks franchise record for the most triple-doubles in a single season. He played college basketball at Villanova, where he helped lead the Wildcats to a national championship in 2016.
Hart is widely recognized for his rebounding, hustle plays, and high-energy style on both ends of the floor. Across both his college and professional careers, he has logged minutes at shooting guard and both forward positions. He is also a longtime video game enthusiast and a well-known candy fan, especially of Mike and Ike.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Aaron Hart was born on March 6, 1995, in Silver Spring, Maryland, to Moses and Pat Hart. He has two siblings and grew up attending Loiederman Middle School in Silver Spring. From a young age, Hart gravitated toward basketball, building a reputation as a high-energy and competitive player in his neighborhood and on local courts.
Hart did not draw early interest from private high school programs, so he enrolled at Wheaton High School in Silver Spring. He later transferred to Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where his game blossomed. As a junior, he averaged 20.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, nearly getting removed from the school due to poor grades before students and parents petitioned for him to be given another chance. As a senior, he averaged 24.3 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game, earning first-team All-Met honors from The Washington Post and becoming a top-100 national recruit in the class of 2013.
After considering Rutgers and Penn State, Hart signed a national letter of intent with Villanova in November 2012. He also reached the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America in 2013. During his youth, he played AAU basketball in the Washington area, where he first met future Villanova teammate Kris Jenkins.
Path to Basketball
Hart arrived at Villanova as a 2013 recruit and quickly earned a spot in the Wildcats rotation. As a freshman in the 2013–14 season, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and was named to the Big East All-Rookie Team. He also posted a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds in just his second collegiate game, signaling the rebounding tenacity that would later define his professional profile.
As a sophomore in 2014–15, Hart became a key reserve and was named Big East Sixth Man of the Year. He was also the most outstanding player of the 2015 Big East tournament, the first bench player to win that award, leading the event in scoring at 17.7 points per game. By his junior year, Hart had grown into a starter and a team leader, helping Villanova reach No. 1 in the AP Poll and ultimately win the 2016 NCAA national championship.
As a senior in 2016–17, Hart cemented his legacy as one of the top college players in the country. He was named Big East Player of the Year, earned consensus first-team All-American honors, won the Julius Erving Award and the Senior CLASS Award, and led the Wildcats to another strong season. His number 3 jersey was later retired by Villanova on January 19, 2022.
Josh Hart Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Hart was selected 30th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2017 NBA draft and was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first NBA start on December 14, 2017, he recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He finished his rookie year strong, scoring a career-high 30 points in his final game against the Los Angeles Clippers and leading the Lakers in three-point shooting percentage at 39.6 percent. That summer, he was named MVP of the 2018 NBA Summer League, setting a Summer League Lakers game-high of 37 points.
Hart’s second NBA season was cut short when he underwent a successful ultrasonic debridement procedure on his right knee patellar tendon in March 2019. He changed his jersey number to No. 3 ahead of the 2018–19 campaign. On July 6, 2019, the Lakers traded Hart, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and multiple draft picks to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis, ending his time in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers Era (2017–2019)
With the Lakers, Hart was known for his rebounding, energy off the bench, and perimeter shooting. He developed into one of the team’s most reliable hustle players, often logging heavy minutes in transition and on the glass. His rookie scoring outburst against the Clippers and his Summer League MVP performance marked him as a young talent with a strong work ethic and a growing role.
Hart’s Lakers tenure ended abruptly as part of the blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis. Despite limited starts, he earned a reputation for effort, toughness, and the ability to contribute in multiple lineups, traits that made him attractive in trade discussions around the league.
New Orleans Pelicans Era (2019–2022)
In New Orleans, Hart became a consistent rotation piece and earned a new three-year, $38 million contract after the 2020–21 season. On February 16, 2021, he scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 144–113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The following season, on November 13, 2021, he recorded a career-high 11 assists in a 112–101 victory against Memphis, showcasing his expanded playmaking ability.
Hart spent three seasons with the Pelicans, growing into a versatile wing who could rebound, defend multiple positions, and serve as a secondary playmaker. On February 8, 2022, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in a package for CJ McCollum, bringing his New Orleans chapter to a close.
Portland Trail Blazers Era (2022–2023)
Hart quickly made an impact in Portland. On March 12, 2022, he erupted for a career-high 44 points, along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists, in a 127–118 win over the Washington Wizards. He became known for clutch moments, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer on November 7, 2022, that gave the Trail Blazers a 110–107 win over the Miami Heat.
Hart’s half-season in Portland was brief but productive, as he was soon moved again. On February 8, 2023, the Trail Blazers agreed to send him to the New York Knicks, with the deal reworked the next day into a four-team trade involving the Knicks, Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Charlotte Hornets.
New York Knicks Era (2023–Present)
Hart debuted for the Knicks on February 11, 2023, posting 11 points, four assists, and seven rebounds in a 126–120 win over the Utah Jazz. On August 10, 2023, he signed a four-year, $81 million contract extension, signaling his long-term role with the franchise. In the 2024 playoffs, he delivered consistent performances, including a 22-point, 13-rebound effort in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Hart’s role expanded dramatically during the 2024–25 season. He recorded his first career triple-double on January 30, 2024, and continued producing them throughout 2024 and 2025. On March 25, 2025, he set a Knicks franchise record for the most triple-doubles in a single season with nine. On May 12, 2025, he received the NBA’s annual minutes leader award, averaging 37.6 minutes per game. In the 2026 NBA Finals, Hart helped the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs 4–1, securing New York’s first NBA championship in 53 years. He, Jalen Brunson, and Mikal Bridges also became the first trio of players to win both an NCAA and NBA championship together.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hart is widely regarded as one of the NBA’s premier hustle players. He excels as a rebounder from the wing position, frequently crashing the glass against bigger frontcourts, and he competes at a high level defensively across multiple positions. His playmaking has grown significantly in New York, where he regularly operates as a secondary ball-handler and triggers fast breaks. Hart’s conditioning allows him to log heavy minutes, and his motor and competitiveness set the tone for the Knicks’ identity.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hart’s most defining moments include setting the Knicks single-season triple-double record, winning the 2025 NBA Cup, and capturing the 2026 NBA championship, the Knicks’ first title in 53 years. He was also a 2016 NCAA champion at Villanova, was named Big East Player of the Year in 2017, and was the first bench player ever to earn Big East tournament most outstanding player honors in 2015.
Josh Hart Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hart was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, by his parents, Moses and Pat Hart, alongside two siblings. He has described a supportive family environment that helped him pursue basketball from a young age. Hart’s grand-uncle is former baseball player Elston Howard, a former New York Yankees catcher and 1957 American League MVP.
Personal Life
Hart is a Christian. He married his high school sweetheart, registered nurse Shannon Phillips, on August 28, 2021, in Miami. In May 2023, the couple welcomed twin sons. Hart is an avid gamer, has streamed games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on Twitch, and is a self-described candy fan, particularly of Mike and Ike, which appointed him their first Chief Candy Officer in 2025 and President of Candy Ops in 2026. He supports the Washington Commanders and English Premier League club Chelsea F.C.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season represented a career-defining campaign for Josh Hart. He started all 77 games he played, averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while leading the NBA in total minutes played. His relentless effort helped drive the Knicks to one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference and produced a steady stream of triple-doubles, including back-to-back performances in late December 2024 and early January 2025 that placed him among the franchise’s all-time great playmakers.
Hart’s durability became a defining storyline, and on May 12, 2025, he was officially recognized as the NBA’s minutes leader. In the playoffs, he recorded a triple-double in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics, the third playoff triple-double in Knicks history and the first since Walt Frazier in 1972. That victory eliminated the defending champions and pushed the Knicks deeper into the postseason.
Looking ahead from the 2025 vantage point, Hart remained a central piece of New York’s championship core, with his contract extension keeping him in New York through 2027. His ability to defend, rebound, facilitate, and play heavy minutes positioned the Knicks as legitimate title contenders and made him one of the most valuable two-way wings in the league.
