Jalen Brunson’s hand gesture has officially crossed over from the hardwood to the diamond.
Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart made the Knicks point guard part of the show on Sunday, telling teammates before the game that if he went deep against the Chicago Cubs, he would celebrate with Brunson’s signature move. Stewart made good on it in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field, turning a solo shot into a little New York-meets-Cincinnati moment.
After the homer in Cincinnati’s 7-5 win, Stewart explained exactly what he had planned.
“I said, ‘If I go deep, I’ll do the Brunson,’” Stewart said after the game.
He followed that up with another nod to the reaction in the dugout.
“I did it, and the boys loved it,” Stewart said.
The gesture wasn’t just a random bit of flair. Stewart also made clear he respects what Brunson has done beyond the celebration itself, pointing to the way the Knicks star handled his contract situation.
“He has overcome so much adversity,” Stewart said. “When he could have taken the most money, he actually declined it and took less so he could put out the best team he could. I feel like that’s really cool.”
Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension with the Knicks in 2024, taking less than he could have earned to help New York keep its core together.
For Stewart, the moment was just one more highlight in a strong rookie year. His homer was his 31st of the season, and his 105 RBIs led all Reds batters since Jay Bruce’s 109 in 2013.
The blast helped Cincinnati finish off the Cubs and wrap up the series win. But for anyone watching from the Knicks side of things, the bigger surprise was seeing Brunson’s signature celebration pop up in a baseball game.
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