Jalen Brunson’s Impact on the Knicks

Jalen Brunson, the standout guard for the New York Knicks, hasn’t really considered how to rebuild an entire franchise. It’s not really something he seems to dwell on.

However, his head coach, Mike Brown, doesn’t have any doubts about Brunson’s contributions. When asked if Brunson has already established himself as one of the greats in franchise history, his answer is immediate.

“He’s been here long enough,” Brown mentioned after a practice in Tarrytown, prepping for the upcoming NBA Cup semifinal. “He’s helped win a lot of games for this team. Sure, he had a start in Dallas, but he was younger then. It wasn’t really his team. He feels different here.”

Brown distinguished Brunson’s role now, calling him an MVP candidate. “This is his team, and he’s making a significant impact, which definitely deserves recognition—not just for the MVP race, but also from the New York community,” he said.

Following a recent victory against the Bucks, Brown expressed concern that there wasn’t enough enthusiasm surrounding Brunson’s MVP candidacy. He elaborated that he thinks MVP discussions should focus on the top three players from the leading teams in each conference, mentioning names like Cade Cunningham, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and of course, Brunson.

Brunson, now in his fourth season with the Knicks, keeps hitting personal milestones: he made his first All-Star Game in 2023-24 and snagged the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award last season. His performance this year is impressive too, averaging 28.3 points and 6.3 assists per game. Recently, he even scored 35 points in a single game, pushing the Knicks closer to tournament success.

“Somebody needs to score, and somebody has to grab rebounds,” Brown pointed out. “Often, teams that struggle don’t have the players who can contribute at this level like the ones we’re discussing. For me, Jalen is simply doing his job, proving he’s an MVP level player in this industry.”

This Saturday marks the fourth meeting this season between the Knicks and Magic, hinting at the possibility of an evolving rivalry—one that could intensify as they might meet again in the playoffs. Yet, despite their earlier matchups, which resulted in Orlando winning two games, including handing the Knicks their only home loss, Brown isn’t ready to label this as a true rivalry just yet.

“It’s tricky,” he admitted. “When we first faced each other, neither team was at full strength. I don’t think we’re at the rivalry phase yet, but I suppose it could develop over time.”