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During Game 1 of the NBA Finals, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson injured his knee and went to the locker room.
Upon returning to the bench, he was spotted putting a Hyperice Venom 2 Leg device on the knee for treatment.
The recovery device delivers heat and vibration to the targeted area.
JALEN BRUNSON HAS been showing up for the Knicks and Knicks fans all season, just like a team captain should, and he wasn’t about to stop during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. Right from the first quarter, Brunson was dealing with injuries to both his knee and his ankle, which he aggravated when Spurs forward Harrison Barnes fell into his leg.
Knicks fans were no doubt worried when their star player headed to the locker room for medical attention. And while we can’t be sure exactly what they did there, we do know that the Knicks staff could be seen strapping a black device to his knee when he returned to the bench, leading many to ask: What is that thing?
The answer is the Hyperice Venom 2 Leg, the latest version of a recovery device that delivers heat and vibration to the targeted area. The heat in particular can enhance bloodflow and provide a measure of comfort after strenuous physical activity. “When you’re stuck on the bench, it can be helpful to keep an injured area warm and compressed if you’re expecting to return to the game,” says MH Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.
Person adjusting a HyperIce device on a seated athlete during a basketball game, second quarter score NY 19 - SA 27.
ABC
The Hyperice Venom 2 Leg being strapped to Brunson’s knee on the bench.
The control unit is attached to a comfortable neoprene wrap that securely fits around the thigh, knee, and calf. Hyperice is a brand that been widely adopted by professional athletes, and for years has been the Official Recovery Technology Partner of the NBA. But Hyperice also makes a few of our favorite recovery devices (massage guns and compression boots) for everyone, like the Hypervolt Go 3 and Normatec Elites. And a smaller version of the Venom 2 Leg, the Venom Go, was included in the 2025 Men’s Health Fitness Awards.
For those of us watching the game’s broadcast who spotted Brunson putting on the Venom 2, it was clear that it wasn’t his first time wearing one. No doubt, he’s had experience with the device before, but more likely in a pure recovery scenario.
To be clear, the Venom 2 leg is not meant for use in between bouts of intense exertion, as Brunson did on Wednesday night. But using one in-game means he was looking for every possible edge to get him back on the court. And while we can’t directly contribute his performance to using the device, he did bring the Knicks back in a fourth quarter rush to secure the big Game 1 win.
Hopefully, he won’t have to rely on it too much during the rest of the Finals. And an update from head coach Mike Brown post-game was that, "Jalen's tough as nails. To me, he didn't seem like he had any effect afterwards. ... I think he's okay."
Jalen’s NBA Finals Recovery Gear
Venom 2 Leg
Hyperice Venom 2 Leg
Credit: Courtesy of Retailer
Venom Go
Hyperice Venom Go
Credit: Courtesy of Retailer
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Charles Thorp is the Fitness and Reviews Editor at Men’s Health, where he shares the best product recommendations in gym equipment, recovery tools, supplements, and more. Following an early life in athletics, Charles became a NASM-certified trainer and began writing programs alongside the most respected coaches in the world. Since entering the world of fitness content, Charles has had the opportunity to learn from and train alongside high performance individuals from the NFL, UFC, NBA, Formula 1, CrossFit, US Olympics, and Navy SEALs. When he’s not writing about training programs or gear, he can be seen at the gym or in the wild, putting them to the test.