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‘Jalen Brunson Saved the NBA’ – Stephen A. Smith Sounds Off on Knicks’ Superstar’s Status After Historic Championship
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks delivered the franchise’s first NBA championship in more than 50 years. The historic accomplishment has left Knicks fans still reveling in the moment, and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith continues to heap praise on the team’s superstar.
Stephen A. Smith Reveals Why Jalen Brunson Deserved Every Accolade After the Knicks’ Championship
After leading the Knicks to a 53-29 regular-season record, Brunson carried that momentum into the playoffs, leading the franchise to 13 straight postseason wins.
The run culminated in championship glory as New York defeated Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals, securing the title on San Antonio’s home court.
The Spurs had reached the Finals after eliminating the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, and Wembanyama had been completely dominant throughout the series.
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However, defying the odds against a red-hot Spurs roster, Brunson led the Knicks to the series win, and Smith believed the Knicks’ guard stole the spotlight when it mattered most.
“He’s is the greatest overachiever we’ve seen in the modern era… I think Jalen Brunson saved the NBA,” Smith said on “First Take” on Friday.
“Because when you talked about the NBA, everybody was caught up in Wembanyama. It’s the 7’5″ freak of nature, and everybody was preparing for, ‘How are we gonna deal with this? How are you gonna guard this man? How are you gonna deal with the defensive prowess?'”
“And Jalen Brunson, the 6’1″, showed up on the court and was the biggest dude on the court. It wasn’t Wemby. It was him when it really counted, and because of that, what happens is, and that’s why he’s deserving of the best male athlete, all of the accolades that he got at the ESPY. He deserved every one of those awards.”
Brunson’s trophy collection continued on Wednesday night at the ESPYs, where he claimed Best Male Athlete, Best Championship Performance, and Best NBA Player, while the Knicks won Best Team.
Those honors added to an already incredible season in which Brunson earned NBA Cup MVP, Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and NBA Finals MVP.
The accolades have boosted Brunson’s standing around the league, and Anthony Edwards recently even called him the face of the NBA. Former champion Kendrick Perkins also suggested Brunson’s accomplishments have already put him on a first-ballot Hall of Fame path.
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As for Brunson’s place among the current crop of elite players, Smith had an honest take.
“Can’t call him the greatest when two people that are still playing got four rings in LeBron James and Steph Curry,” Smith said. “They both got four rings. So we can’t do that right now. But (I am) very proud of Jalen Brunson.”
After averaging 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds during the Finals against San Antonio, Smith praised Brunson’s ability to deliver in the biggest moments, calling him an “absolutely phenomenal” finisher.
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