Jhamir Brickus comes to Villanova after scoring 1,254 points in four years at La Salle. (Photo: Villanova athletics)
By AARON BRACY
September 10, 2024
The transition from La Salle to Villanova has been a smooth one for transfer Jhamir Brickus.
Brickus is still close to his hometown of Coatesville and also is at ease with Villanova assistant coach Ashley Howard, who recruited him to La Salle and coached him during his first two seasons with the Explorers.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound guard chose Villanova over South Carolina and VCU in the transfer process.
“Being close to home and having that fan base come out every night to see me and just having that relationship with Coach Ash Howard,” Brickus said in an interview on the Bracy Sports Media podcast. “It just felt like home.”
It has been quite a journey to the Main Line for Brickus. Despite setting a school record with 2,531 points, topping fellow Coatesville High standouts John Allen and Richard “Rip” Hamilton, Brickus was lightly recruited out of high school. Howard heavily pursued Brickus, and he chose the Explorers over Rider and Bryant.
Of his light recruitment, Brickus said, “It was a reality check. You gotta go get better.”
He wasted little time showing his skills at La Salle, earning Atlantic 10 All-Rookie honors as a freshman when he started 22 of 25 games and shot 49.7 percent from the field. He followed that up with a strong sophomore campaign in Howard’s final season, starting 24 of 28 games and averaging 8.9 points and 3.3 assists while making 45 percent from the field, including 35.8 percent from 3-point range.
“He told me to be poised and leave everything out there on the floor,” Brickus said of what he learned playing under Howard. “As long as you do that, you’ll be the best version of you. Slow down and see the game for what it is.”
Big 5 Hall of Famer Fran Dunphy followed Howard on the Explorers’ sideline, and Brickus continued to excel, showing toughness, skill and durability. He finished his four-year La Salle career by scoring 1,254 points while averaging 31.5 minutes. He is a career 37.4 percent 3-point shooter, and did even better as a senior last season when he drained 40 percent from downtown. His overall numbers in 119 games, of which he started 104, are solid: 10.5 points, 3.6 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals.
From Dunphy, Brickus said he learned lessons about off the court as much as on it.
“Accountability,” he said. “He preached that a lot. Being accountable and being available for your teammates and not being late. He taught me real life situations. It was bigger than basketball with Fran.”
The message was apparent during this interview, as Brickus was ready more than five minutes before our scheduled time.
Brickus could have finished his career at La Salle, something that surely hurts Explorers fans. There is an economic reality to this, as he is collecting Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) dollars at Villanova commensurate with the going rate of the Big East Conference. Still, Brickus has nothing but love for La Salle.
“Nothing but great times and great moments with great dudes and great coaches,” he reflected about his time at 20th and Olney. “I would like to say thanks to them for bringing me in there. That was one of my few options. Them taking me in with open arms means a lot. It was definitely fun. I played with some great dudes. It was always a fight day in and day out with the guys. I definitely loved it there.”
At Villanova, Brickus walks into a situation where expectations are high and results have been spotty of late. In two seasons since Jay Wright surprisingly retired, Villanova has not made the NCAA tournament under coach Kyle Neptune. But the Wildcats reloaded their roster this offseason, adding Brickus, Tyler Perkins (Penn), Kris Parker (Alabama), Wooga Poplar (Miami) and Enoch Boakye (Fresno State) through the transfer portal. They’ll also return standout Eric Dixon, who withdrew from the NBA draft for a fifth season at Villanova, in addition to returnees like Jordan Longino and a much-hyped freshman class.
Based on the talent, anything less than an NCAA tournament appearance would be a huge disappointment for Villanova. But Brickus said the Wildcats aren’t focused on the big picture.
“We haven’t really had focus on the NCAA tournament,” he said. “It’s really just about being the best team we can be by the end. As long as we just keep tapping the rock and take steps day by day, I feel like we’ll get there by the end.”
Brickus gives Villanova a strong ball-handler, dependable scorer, quality shooter and just a Philly-tough guard. It is something that has been lacking in coach Kyle Neptune’s two years at the helm. Asked about his role, Brickus wants to make others better.
“I see myself as a leader and making everyone around me better and pushing everybody to their fullest potential and just getting guys shots,” he said.
Moving from the Atlantic 10 to the Big East will be a step up in competition for Brickus, though the A-10 is an underrated league. Some players have been successful making the jump and others, as Villanova saw last season, have not matched their success in the A-10 to the Big East. But Brickus believes his toughness and poise will translate to his new league.
He’ll continue the line of Coatesville greats, joining Hamilton (UConn) and Allen (Seton Hall), who have called the Big East home.
“I’m definitely excited to be here,” he said. “It took me a minute to get here. I’m ready to show everybody what I got. Definitely a lot of excitement knowing two other guys from Coatesville did it. Me following their footsteps says a lot. It says I’m on the right path.”
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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages. His book on the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team is expected to be published on March 1, 2025. Read a summary and preorder it by clicking HERE. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.