The New York Knicks acquired a player last offseason with the perfect temperament for the Big Apple market, and one who has emerged as one of the best at his position.
No matter the obstacles, the criticisms or the disrespect, Jalen Brunson does not get rattled.
"It's kind of been the story of my career," the point guard told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview over the phone Thursday night. "Ever since I stepped foot in high school, it's, 'Yeah, Jalen's good, but he's just not that guy.' I've never got my props until I accomplished something. It's very repetitive, but I know what I'm getting myself into. Proving people wrong is not what gets me going. Unfortunately, it's something that I have to go through. I'm not bothered at all by it."
In his first year with the Knicks since signing his four-year, $104 million contract, Brunson made a leap that not many envisioned. With Brunson as the point guard running the show, New York (42-33) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, and Brunson is averaging career highs in points (23.8), assists (6.2) and steals (0.9) per game as well as three-point percentage (41.1).
Those enhanced statistics positioned him firmly in the Most Improved Player conversation, which is ironic considering how much scrutiny came with Brunson leaving the Dallas Mavericks to sign that colossal contract.
Pundits pronounced that the Knicks overpaid and said he was nothing more than a middle-tier point guard. Combined with the Knicks' hiring of his father, Rick Brunson, as an assistant coach a month before 2022 free agency and the tampering investigation that followed— resulting in New York losing a second-round pick in 2025 for engaging in contract dialogue before the start of free agency—many believed Brunson wasn't worth the hassle.
"It's impossible not to hear the [naysayers]," Brunson told B/R. "But I do my best to not let that drive me now because at some point, I know I have the ability to prove people wrong. I really don't want to just use it as motivation. My motivation is just to go out there and be the best player I can be every single day. That's how I've always been. It's how my parents raised me. You can't listen to what people say, good or bad. You got to stay level-headed. It's kind of a blessing in disguise for me because it keeps me working, it keeps me going, it keeps me hungry."
Not to mention, he was an All-Star snub.
"I think my parents might have been more mad than me," Brunson said.
Constant critiques that have been associated with the 26-year-old guard are that he's not the greatest athlete and he's not one of the fastest in the backcourt. Those concerns are why he was a second-round pick at No. 33, drafted by the Mavericks in 2018.
The 6'1" guard has excelled with his intellect, misdirection of angles, the use of his body to get to his spots, a lightning first step and a stop-and-go hesitation dribble that keeps defenders off balance. Those capabilities are mentioned infrequently.
"I think it motivates my parents more than it motivates me because when I hear from them, they're like: 'You heard that? What are you going to do about it?'" Brunson said. "I'm going to continue to be me and continue to do what I've been doing. All the talk about what I can't do or what I don't [deserve] definitely doesn't go unnoticed, I'll say that."
Mavs Exit
The question of what Brunson deserves didn't begin in New York; it came up in Dallas, too, which ultimately led to his departure.
"I can't say anything bad about Dallas," Brunson told B/R, "but obviously I wish things would've happened differently."
Prior to the 2021-22 season, he was eligible for a four-year, $55.5 million extension. It was an offer Brunson's camp would have accepted if the Mavericks made it, sources tell B/R. In January 2022, his representatives tried to initiate dialogue on getting a deal done, but the Mavericks resisted.
Brunson began cementing himself as the second-best player on the team behind Luka Dončić. And after the February trade deadline, the team contacted Brunson about agreeing to the same four-year, $55.5 million extension Dorian Finney-Smith had just signed. At that point, it was clear that the guard's value in free agency would be worth exponentially more if he tested the market.
Brunson recalled how the matter played out.
"There were two times that I thought we had offers on the table before the season, and then around, I think December or January, they looked the other way," Brunson said. "They had every right in the world to do so. I don't blame them for making any business decisions. That's on them."
He was complimentary of his time in Dallas.
"At the same time, I respect them," Brunson told B/R. "They brought me into this league and jump-started my career. Business is business. My four years in Dallas were special. When I first got drafted there, I had that mindset of seeing myself being there for a very long time. My vet at the time, J.J. Barea, he taught me so much and he was there for such a long time. I wanted that role of being with the Mavericks for the long haul of my career. I truly loved that place. As I continued to get older, I got better, and I got more opportunities to showcase my game.
"Both coaching staffs I had there were amazing. Jason Kidd helped unlock something in me that I didn't think would happen that fast. I was growing as a player, but when the playoffs hit, he pushed me to a new level. It was great there. The whole organization and the city of Dallas was special to me and my family. Those four years were amazing."
Settling In New York
All that remains for the Knicks before the postseason are seven regular-season games. Brunson says it's too soon to reflect on his season and how far he's come.
But he made an attempt.
"I knew I had the opportunity to be where I'm at, but it did happen pretty fast," Brunson said. "I thought we had a good chance of doing something special as a team, and we're continuing to do so. Personally, it's always been a goal of mine to be an All-Star, but I never would allow for my individual goals to trump my team goals. I want to win. And if I'm helping my team do that, all the individual awards will come into place when it's that time. We got to the point where I was in the conversation to be named an All-Star. I was very honored, but I think if I win more, I'll get that opportunity. I'd love to be there."
At the start of the 2022-23 NBA season, former Brooklyn Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving represented New York as the elite basketball pillars. With both since migrating to the Western Conference, Brunson, the player least expected among the two franchises' notables, is holding it down for New York and its heralded guard history.
In such a short time, he's filling some big shoes and is comfortable doing so.
"Sandra and Rick Brunson raised me to always be a leader and never be a follower," Brunson said. "I was always taught to finish what I started. They've always instilled that mindset in me to be a person who doesn't back down from a challenge and to be someone who steps up. When it comes to facing adversity, my parents have helped me so much to keep me right mentally. It's how they raised me, and it translates to the basketball court. It's a blessing from them."
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B/R Exclusive: Jalen Brunson Dishes on Dallas Exit, Defying Critics - Bleacher Report
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