New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “never changed” on his rise to stardom

New York has long been known for celebrating great sports icons akin to Babe Ruth, Joe Namath, Joe DiMaggio, Patrick Ewing, Pele, Lawrence Taylor, Derek Jeter, Darryl Strawberry, Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Reggie Jackson. name a couple of. There’s also the present king of the New York sports scene who has little interest in the intense lights of Broadway: Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.

“Nothing would be possible without my teammates, and they and my coaching staff wouldn’t believe in me,” Brunson said.

While these words are somewhat modest, Brunson made a powerful statement by leading the Knicks to the second seed within the Eastern Conference within the NBA Playoffs. On Saturday (ESPN, 6 p.m. ET), the Knicks will begin the playoffs at Madison Square Garden against the Philadelphia 76ers and stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Brunson, making his first NBA All-Star appearance, was fourth within the NBA in scoring (28.7 points per game) and thirteenth in assists (6.7) this season. The six-year veteran also scored a career-high 61 points on March 29 against San Antonio. But with fellow All-Star Julius Randle sidelined since Jan. 27 and other key injuries to OGs Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, Brunson took over the Knicks not only as a scorer, but in addition as captain and the guts and soul of the team.

“He’s the ultimate leader,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeaux said. “When you take a look at him, his entire profession and individual achievements, it was off the charts. But the team’s achievements were amazing. He was an ideal teammate in highschool. He was an ideal teammate in college. They won at a really high level in college. He won big in Dallas and brought it here.

“And you’ll be able to’t replace Julius Randle, OG (Anunoby) or Mitch (Robinson) individually. We cannot do it, but we will do it together. And that is what I like about Jalen. He not only brings the most effective out of himself, but in addition the most effective of the team, and typically the most effective team wins. He at all times had this trait and was never satisfied. He at all times thinks he can do higher. Always wanting to learn more. “You can’t say enough about what he did.”

Said Knicks guard Josh Hart about Brunson: “We really just give him the keys and go as far as he goes.”

The Knicks put their faith in Brunson, signing him to a four-year, $104 million contract after 4 years with the Dallas Mavericks. For Brunson, the trip to New York was also a chance to reunite with his family.

His father, Rick, is an assistant coach on the Knicks staff, and Jalen Brunson has known Thibodeaux since he was 10 years old. In addition to the Knicks, Rick Brunson was an assistant coach under Thibodeaux with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks even have two of Jalen Brunson’s former Villanova teammates in Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who love to tease Brunson at every opportunity.

While Brunson’s contract could have looked like overpayment when he signed with the Knicks, his two stellar years make it seem to be he’s underpaid. Playing on the USA Basketball team for the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup raised his profile. It currently has a national TV ad with AT&T and partnerships with DoorDash, NBA2K, Samsung and Catalina Crunch. Brunson’s T-shirt was the fifteenth bestseller amongst NBA players this season. Renowned filmmaker and Knicks fan Spike Lee also wore a custom-made vest constituted of Brunson’s jersey to games.

Although it’s going to take a while for Brunson to adjust to his celebrity status, he enjoys the love he receives from New York’s royal family.

“When you see celebrities come and sit on the court and hang around with them, I say, ‘Man, I’m an enormous fan.’ And they said, “No, I’m a big fan.” It’s quite surreal at times,” Brunson said. “I’m happy about it. It’s a dream come true. That’s all I want.”

Even though Brunson has shone under New York’s brightest lights, he is not feeding on his rising star or changing who he’s.

“I’ve had the same circle since I came into the league. They make me humble. They keep me grounded. And that’s what I want…” Brunson said about his life since first becoming an NBA star.

“I do various things. But I’m resting. I prepare for matches, I do all of the needed things first. All your extracurricular activities can wait. I’m just ensuring I do my job.

Hart said: “I feel like he’s getting more respect nationally. It was good, but he never changed. He will be the person he has been all along.”

So who deserves credit for Brunson’s humility?

“(My parents) Sandra and Rick Brunson, (sister) Erica Brunson and my wife (Ali Marks Brunson). That’s how I used to be raised. I give them credit. It’s sort of second nature to me,” Brunson said.

In 4 games against Philadelphia this season, Brunson is averaging 22.3 points, 7.8 assists and three.0 rebounds. Maxey talked concerning the need to contain Brunson in hopes of stunning the Knicks within the upcoming “dogfight” between the longtime rivals.

“It starts with the head of the snake,” Maxey told NBATV. “We saw the season Jalen Brunson had. He was extraordinary. We have to slow it down first.”

Knicks fans will likely include Lee and other stars old and recent. Hart, nevertheless, said Brunson was a greater fit for the blue-collar Big Apple.

“He matches this toughness, this decisiveness, this mentality of not being satisfied and wanting to keep working. That’s a very powerful thing,” Hart said.

Brunson has won at every level of his profession. He led Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, Illinois) to the 2015 state championship. He won two NCAA championships at Villanova in 2016 and 2018. The biggest challenge of his basketball profession is finally getting one other title banner at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks’ two titles in 1970 and 1973 were won long before the 27-year-old was born.

While Knicks fans have long dreamed of a championship, Brunson says his focus is on the primary game against the Sixers.

“It happens one day at a time,” Brunson said of his title hopes. “Of course I want to get there. Of course, that is goal No. 1.”