Jalen Brunson isn’t just riding the wave of a title run - he’s hearing it from some of the biggest names in the sport, too.
As the New York Knicks get ready to defend their championship in the 2026 NBA season, Brunson said at Knicks Media Day that praise from LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo meant a lot to him. The recognition comes after Brunson helped power New York through a dominant playoff run that ended with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in hand.
The Knicks rolled through the Eastern Conference with back-to-back sweeps over the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, then finished the job by beating Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1. Brunson was central to that push and earned NBA Finals MVP honors along the way.
That kind of rise has pushed Brunson into a different tier around the league, and he’s now drawing attention that matches the way he’s played. He’s even landed on some analysts’ top-five player lists heading into the new season.
When asked about the praise from James and Antetokounmpo, Brunson didn’t brush it off, but he made it clear the compliment comes with a job still unfinished.
"I really do appreciate it, and I respect the hell out of them. But just like a lot of things, when you hear praise, when you hear negativity, it has to go in one ear and out the other.
Gotta continue to be the best version of yourself, or people are gonna pass you. I really do appreciate it, and it shows where I've grown, but still a lot of work to do," Brunson said.
Brunson, a two-time national champion with the Villanova Wildcats, has become one of the league’s most visible stars in a hurry. Now the bigger question is whether he can keep New York at the top or whether the champs slip after their breakthrough season.
The Knicks are viewed by sportsbooks as one of the stronger championship contenders for 2027, but repeating is never simple. Their first test in the title defense comes next month, when they open the regular season at home against a revamped Philadelphia team.
The 76ers made major offseason changes in an effort to catch the Knicks in the Eastern Conference. Among them: signing LeBron James to a two-year deal and sending Paul George and other players to the Boston Celtics in a trade for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia already had former regular-season MVP Joel Embiid, but still hasn’t won a championship with him, and the front office is betting the new additions can change that.
Even so, plenty of people still see the road to the East running through New York, where Brunson and the rest of the championship-winning starting five are back for another run.
The Knicks host the 76ers on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. ET.
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