Jalen Brunson isn’t just holding it down for the Knicks-he’s elevating them. And if you ask Knicks coach Mike Brown, it’s time the league started putting some real respect on his name in the MVP conversation.
Brown has now made his case twice in three days, and he’s not exactly whispering it. After Brunson dropped 37 points in a win over Milwaukee on Friday, Brown took the podium and made his stance clear. Then, ahead of Sunday’s 116-94 win over the Raptors at Madison Square Garden, he doubled down.
“When I see people talking or I see lists, I never see him,” Brown said. “I’m amazed at the lack of attention he gets for what he’s done in this league already and what he continues to do, night in and night out. Especially when he’s the guy on a team that’s in a pretty good spot in their conference.”
Hard to argue with that. Brunson has been the Knicks’ steadying force, especially with OG Anunoby sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Anunoby might be the team’s best two-way player, but Brunson has been the engine keeping the Knicks moving forward. Since returning from an ankle injury that kept him out two games, Brunson has led the Knicks to a 5-1 record in his last six outings.
He’s scored 30 or more in three of those games-and he’s doing it while carrying the offensive load without his top wingman.
Sunday night’s win over Toronto didn’t require Brunson to go full takeover mode. Instead, the Knicks flexed their depth and balance.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 22 points and eight rebounds. Josh Hart brought his usual energy, finishing with 20 points and 12 boards.
Deuce McBride lit it up early, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the first quarter-all from deep. Mitchell Robinson was a force on the glass, pulling down 15 rebounds in just under 17 minutes.
And Brunson? A cool 18 points and a team-best +25 while he was on the floor.
Impact, meet efficiency.
Now, hearing a coach campaign for his star player isn’t exactly breaking news. But in this case, Brown’s got a point.
Brunson’s name was nowhere to be found in the top 10 of the NBA.com MVP Ladder released Friday. Sure, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic are deserving front-runners.
But when you see names like Tyrese Maxey, Alperen Sengun, and Jalen Johnson rounding out the top 10, you have to ask-how is Brunson just an honorable mention?
Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic didn’t need much convincing. He put Brunson in rare company before Sunday’s game, comparing his poise and control to some of the league’s elite.
“He’s the type of player I can put in the category of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic-different position, obviously,” Rajakovic said. “But guys who are just playing at their own pace.
You cannot speed them up. Their awareness is amazing.
At any point in time they know where the hand of the defensive player is. He’s not the strongest, not the fastest, but his skill level and shooting ability is amazing.
That makes him one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league.”
That’s high praise, and it speaks to what makes Brunson so unique. He’s not blowing past defenders with raw athleticism.
He’s dissecting them with footwork, timing, and a deep bag of tricks. It’s not flashy-but it’s deadly.
Still, history hasn’t always been kind to smaller guards in the MVP race. Since James Harden won in 2017-18, no player under 6-foot-6 has taken home the trophy.
And only three players under 6-foot-4 have ever won it: Allen Iverson, Bob Cousy, and Steve Nash. Brunson, listed at 6-foot-2, finished 10th in MVP voting last season, picking up just two fifth-place votes.
But he did win the NBA’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award-an acknowledgment of his ability to deliver when it matters most.
Brown believes Brunson’s footwork is a big part of what sets him apart.
“I’ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be around a bunch of great players,” Brown said. “And Jalen’s footwork around the basket, especially for his size, is probably second to none.
His footwork is really good. I’ll probably get killed for saying this, but Kobe’s footwork was really good.
And I’m not saying Jalen’s Kobe or vice versa. But their patience, their footwork in that painted area is at an extremely high level, and not many guys have that.”
That’s not hyperbole-it’s a coach who knows what elite looks like, recognizing it in real time.
Brunson might not be leading the MVP race right now, but if he keeps this up-especially with Anunoby still out-he won’t be on the outside looking in for long. The Knicks have a leader who’s doing more than just putting up numbers. He’s anchoring wins, setting the tone, and showing why he just might be the Most Valuable Knick-and maybe more.