Jun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Star point guard and NBA champion Jalen Brunson has successfully won over the hearts of every Knicks fan. His grit, leadership, and pure offensive skill set have helped to usher in one of the greatest eras in franchise history. But, even now, we are learning new details on the title run that has defined his legacy.
As he explained in the latest edition of the New York Post’s “New York Got Game” show, Brunson wasn’t entirely healthy during the 2026 Finals against the Spurs (and even before that). He was dealing with a wrist injury at the time that came with a nagging pain.
“Whenever Brunson went into his shooting motion, the tendon painfully rubbed against the bone in his left wrist. He said he began feeling the pain during Game 2 of the ECF. He played through it for all of the Finals,” wrote The Post’s Jared Schwartz.
It was a freak wrist injury that nearly jeopardized the Knicks’ historic run, but everything worked out for them in the end. Somehow, Brunson played through the pain to deliver an iconic performance that won’t be easily forgotten. In the process, his patience and resiliance were tested beyond anything he could imagine.
“It’s reminded me a lot about patience, for sure,” Brunson said. “But it’s a steady process, and it’s something that, honestly, it is what it is. It’s something I attack every day. Just find a way to continue to improve.”
Injuries can often be devastating to a team’s playoff hopes, and an injury to Brunson should have crushed New York. Instead, Jalen barely showed any signs that something was wrong, and it wasn’t until he opted for surgery after the series that we even knew he was injured. In five games, he averaged 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 42.1% shooting from the field to win the Finals MVP.
“I just knew that the opportunity rarely presents itself to be in a position like that,” Brunson added on playing through the pain. “So I just wasn’t going to let something that seemed minor take me out. Just [do] whatever needed to be done, [then] focus on it afterwards.”
Ultimately, Jalen Brunson made the ultimate sacrifice by putting his body on the line for the sake of a championship. Playing through a wrist injury could have made his situation worse and hindered his performance, and it might be the reason for his low efficiency. All that mattered in the end, however, was that the Knicks won when it mattered most, and Brunson was the one who led them the entire way through.
Going forward, Brunson still has more work to do to get that wrist to full strength again, but he has no regrets about how he handled the injury. The question is, what impact will it have on the new season? As always, health will play a big role in their success, but this Knicks team has already shown they can handle adversity. With mostly the same roster as last season, they have already found a working formula for success, and there’s no reason to think they can’t maintain their upward momentum to keep up with a rapidly improving Eastern Conference.