No disrespect to any Knicks fans, but unless you are a TRUE New York City, born and raised New Yorker, you cannot fully fathom nor feel what Jalen Brunson did for us last night.
I say us because I am a true New Yorker- born and raised, 1970s NYC baby that has always bled orange and blue.
My parents took me to my first game at MSG in the early 80s, a time when Red Holzman and Hubie Brown were the head coaches and the roster was filled with names, outside of Bernard King, only die hard fans would remember- Bill Cartwright, Ernie Grunfeld, Louis Orr, Truck Robinson, Rory Sparrow, Michael Ray Richardson, Paul Westphal, Trent Tucker, Darrell Walker, Marvin Webster, James Bailey, Ken “the Animal” Bannister, Pat Cummings and Eddie Lee Wilkins.
King was an unstoppable scoring machine, Grunfeld eventually became the team’s GM and Westphal, Orr (RIP) and Walker went into coaching.
But the others were players that couldn’t re-create the success of the prior decade’s legendary teams.
Then in 1985, Patrick Ewing arrived.
While he rejuvenated the fan base, the team failed to surround him with star power, so it and its fans suffered through three consecutive losing seasons.
These were years when you could buy ridiculously cheap nose bleed seats and then move down as attendance was extremely sparce.
That changed in the 90s.
Pat Riley arrived, playoff appearances increased, fans returned and the Mecca was jumping.
The rivalries with the Bulls, Pacers and Heat were intense and fan favorites like John Starks, Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley arrived and were revered.
But while they had some success, the trophy continued to elude them.
Ewing did all he could, but lacking another superstar in the 1994 and 1999 NBA Finals left him ringless.
In the 2000s, the team was plagued by poor management and scandal, which led decades of frustration, futility and anger.
Team owner James Dolan was too involved, the culture deteriorated and the fans rebelled, screaming for James Dolan to sell the team. They even erected a giant pink slip in front of MSG that fans enthusiastically signed.
Then in June 2022, the Knicks announced they were signing Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million deal, who would become, as Charles Barkley said two years ago and Shaquille O’Neal admitted last night, the “best free agency signing ever.”
But at that time, the Knicks were ridiculed for it.
“You creating all this cap space to get Jalen Brunson. Is he KD?! Is he Kawhi Leonard?!” exclaimed a frustrated Steven A. Smith on First Take in 2022. “Because you’re selling New York on Jalen Brunson. That’s what you’re doing.”
“And by the way, he’s not a real ‘one’. I’m not even sure he’s a real ‘two’,” said Michael Wilbon to Dan Patrick.
“The saddest sweepstakes ever…the Jalen Brunson sweepstakes. Is Jalen Brunson one of the ten best point guards in basketball? Maybe 10,” said Fox Sports’ Nick Wright.
“I don’t think he’s top 10. I mean he might not be top 14,” responded Chris Boussard.
“He is not going to be the type of player that will elevate them into contender status,” stated ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
But Brunson said nothing in response for he was, and is, built differently.
“I just want to be myself,” said Brunson at his first press conference after signing with New York. “I’m not a savior in any way, shape or form. I just want to be able to contribute to this team and help this team win games.”
But he was wrong, for he became a savior.
Brunson proved he was built for what New York needed and demanded.
His father, current Knicks assistant Rick Brunson, forged New York’s savior in the heat of outdoor courts when he developed toughness, how to endure and fight through oppressive forces.
He became a state champion in high school and a 2x National Champion and National Player of the Year while at Villanova.
Yet despite the accolades, he was taken 32nd overall by Dallas in the 2018 NBA Draft behind his Nova teammates Mikal Bridges (no.10) and Donte DiVincenzo (no.17).
He rode the bench behind Luka Doncic for four seasons and when the Knicks came calling, Dallas simply let him walk, a decision that the City will always thank the Mavs for as.
Brunson paid immediate dividends in New York, becoming the team’s second leading scorer that season.
But it wasn’t just the scoring. New Yorkers, and, to his credit, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, saw something special in him that others did not, and his talents, quiet toughness and attitude endeared him to the city.
In the three seasons that followed, Brunson not only became a 3x All-Star, he became the face of the franchise and the beacon by which we fans hitched our championship dreams to.
I won’t lie though- while I believed Brunson was the truth, I was hesitant to invest my whole heart into the championship aspirations after four decades of heartbreak, pain and frustration.
I still reeled from the Charles Smith pump fakes, the Ewing finger roll and the John Starks 2-18.
I worked for the team in 1999 and remember the disappointment while working Game 5 at MSG when San Antonio captured its first title at our expense.
But my son, a true basketball fan, kept reminding me that Brunson was special. As a matter of fact, he was the only person I know who was hyped that the Knicks signed Brunson back in 2022. At that time, he told me the critics were wrong and that Brunson was special.
How right he was.
So I believed and the team, led by Brunson, delivered.
This year, Brunson and the Knicks exorcised the pain of the past and blessed us with what we have long desired.
Brunson made us believe not just in him, but that he WAS and IS HIM.
He made Becky Hammon and her “He too small!” Brunson dismissal eat her words.
Captain Clutch made us believe he could do it while others continued to doubt him.
“Jalen Brunson’s very good, he’s not great…he’s not that guy…Jalen Brunson has to be a number two. On a great team, a three,” said Colin Cowherd just two months ago. “But I think New York is convinced he’s one of the best Knicks of all-time.”
Guess what Cowherd? Not only is he one of the best Knicks of all time, but for what, and how, he accomplished it, Jalen Brunson will be the first Knick mentioned in all future discussions as he is now the greatest Knick of all time.
In 1994, I cried tears of frustration and disappointment when the Rockets beat us for the title.
On Saturday night, I cried again, only this time it was because we had finally won it all thanks to NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP and new King of New York, Jalen Brunson.
So thank you Jalen Brunson.
Thank you for coming to New York.
Thank you becoming a superstar despite the doubt.
Thank you for erasing the sins, painful moments, losses and failures of the past.
And most of all, thank you for giving us fans what we have waited so desperately for.
We’ll see you on Thursday in the Canyon of Heroes.
