Josh Hart, the personality and player, was made for Broadway.
He likes to spread out, and there’s more elbow room in the bigger Apple.
“Portland was cool, New Orleans was cool,” said Hart, who played in those two smaller markets before joining the Knicks. “But it was a little too compact for my liking.”
As the Knicks begin the Eastern Conference semis Monday against the old rival Pacers, Hart has emerged as the team’s hustle champion, its glue guy, its spokesman, its fan favorite and even its 3-point ace in the first round.
There’s never a spotlight Hart won’t run under.
Just ask Hart’s former coach, Stan Van Gundy, who guided the forward for a season with the Pelicans.
“I think what anybody who coached him and played with him would say is you knew he would never be afraid of the moment,” Van Gundy, who will call Game 1 of Pacers-Knicks as a TNT analyst, told The Post. “There are guys out there who don’t want any part of it when we get down to the biggest times and the biggest games. Josh was never going to be a guy who was afraid of that.
“I actually think he lived for it. Josh was always great when you played the best teams, when he got the matchup with the best players. You never had to worry about him. He’s such a competitor. Where your concerns were with Josh when you’re playing a team not so great, or guys with injuries, or you’re up 18 with nine or 10 minutes to go, there would be mental lapses and things like that. But throw that guy into the biggest games against the biggest teams.”
Hart’s competitiveness is what Van Gundy highlighted to Thibodeau when the Knicks coach called for a reference ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.
Leon Rose then swapped a very non-Thibs player (Cam Reddish) for a classic Thibs one (Hart).
“I think they knew they wanted him anyway. It was just me sort of confirming that Tom would love him,” Van Gundy said.
Hart’s response Sunday?
“Then ask Stan why he didn’t run any pick-and-rolls for me.”
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Ribbing aside, Van Gundy was right.
With injuries to Julius Randle and OG Anunoby in the middle of the regular season, Hart took an opportunity from Thibodeau by the throat and somehow squeezed it into more life.
He secured six triple-doubles during a three-month stretch starting January, which followed six NBA seasons with zero triple-doubles.
In the first round against the Sixers, the 29-year-old led the Knicks in minutes and rebounds.
He was second in scoring and nailed the clutch trey that wobbled the Sixers against the ropes in elimination Game 6 — all while podcasting, serving as a quote machine at press availabilities and picking up another sponsorship deal, this time with Mike & Ike’s candy.
He’s gone from a role player in his previous three stops (he played his first two seasons with the Lakers) to stuffing New York’s box scores.
“Josh was never going to be a guy who was afraid,” Van Gundy said. “But to do what he’s done? If somebody else saw it they’re a genius but more likely they’re lying their ass off.”
Donte DiVincenzo acknowledged that attention is at least part of Hart’s motivation.
“That’s what I love and hate about him is that’s exactly who he is,” the Knicks guard chuckled. “And the thing about Josh is you know when that big moment happens, he’s gonna step up and he’s gonna deliver.
“Because of what comes after that. He lives for it and we all love to enjoy and see him celebrate himself.”
The spotlight is only bigger in the Eastern Conference semis, where Hart struggled last season in a loss to the Heat but in a much lesser role.
Now he rarely leaves the court.
Against the Pacers, Hart represents the betting favorite to lead the series in minutes and rebounds.
On defense, he’ll be both nowhere and everywhere consistently — likely guarding Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton without being the primary defender on either.
It’s inside Hart’s comfort zone.
“Growing up playing basketball these are the moments that you dream of, these are the moments that you prepare for,” Hart said. “These are moments that you want. In those moments or those games, for me, I love it just because the energy is there, the competitiveness.
“That’s the biggest thing for me.”
