Jalen Brunson speaking for the Knicks during a championship ceremony
Stephen A. Smith said Jalen Brunson “saved the NBA” and called him the league’s greatest overachiever. It is a wild compliment, even for the Knicks captain who just led New York to a championship.
The quote came during a First Take discussion about Brunson’s rise, and it landed because the point guard has spent his career outrunning the expectations attached to his size, draft slot, and contract.
The Jalen Brunson playoff line gives the praise some weight. He averaged 28.4 points, 6.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals over 19 playoff games while shooting 50.9 percent on two-point attempts and 36.3 percent from three.
Jalen Brunson's Knicks jersey at a New York auction house
Jalen Brunson basketball jersey at Sotheby’s in New York City on July 1, 2026, REUTERS/Jordan Tovin, Credit: REUTERS
The Knicks know exactly what Brunson is
Brunson is not the biggest guard in the league, and he does not win by overpowering every defender. He wins with footwork, timing, patience, and a willingness to take the hard shot when the possession is breaking down.
The “saved the NBA” line works as television, but the serious version is simpler. Brunson made the Knicks matter every night, then proved he could carry that attention into June.
The next test is keeping the standard from becoming unreasonable. One championship does not mean Brunson has to score 40 every time the Knicks face a bad offensive night. He still needs help, and the front office still has to keep the roster deep enough to protect him.
I would take the praise as a sign of how far his reputation has moved, not as a new burden for him to carry. Brunson already gave the Knicks the season they had been waiting for.
Now the team has to prove it can build the next one without asking him to solve every problem by himself.
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