Jalen Brunson has only been with the New York Knicks for three seasons now, but he has delivered more than his fair share of memorable moments on the court. Brunson was asked for his favorite moment as a Knick among all of them during a Ronald McDonald House Charities event on Thursday, and he went back in time to 2024.
“My first All-Star announcement,” Brunson said.
That was indeed a special night. Brunson had been announced as an All-Star for the first time in his career on Feb. 1, 2024. He then scored 40 points in a 109-105 win over the Indiana Pacers later that night and was visibly emotional postgame when asked about making the team.
"This place is unbelievable" –@jalenbrunson1
Jalen Brunson gets emotional when talking about tonight's 9️⃣th straight win, his first ever @NBA All-Star game, and The Garden faithful chanting M.V.P. #NewYorkForever | @nyknicks | @alanhahn pic.twitter.com/u6whCTBqQT
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) February 2, 2024
Being serenaded with MVP chants at Madison Square Garden the day you were announced as an All-Star for the first time would make anyone emotional. The journey that Brunson had been on also made this moment all the more special.
Following a three-year career at Villanova, where he won two national titles, Brunson headed to the Dallas Mavericks as the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was a bench player for his first three seasons with the Mavericks, and it didn’t look like he was going to amount to anything too special.
A long career as a solid role player seemed to be on the cards, but Brunson started showing flashes of greatness in the 2021-22 season. He famously erupted for 41 points in a playoff game against the Utah Jazz in 2022 and would help the Mavericks get to the Western Conference Finals.
The Mavericks looked to have hit the jackpot, but that campaign would prove to be his last with the team. Brunson left in free agency after the Knicks offered him a four-year, $104 million deal. That seemed like a bit of an overpay, but that sure didn’t turn out to be the case.
Brunson has thrived as the first option with the Knicks and is a fan favorite now. The 29-year-old put up excellent averages of 26.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game in 2024-25. He won Clutch Player of the Year and made the All-NBA Second-Team for the second year in a row.
Brunson excelled in the postseason, too, as he led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. They just fell short of making the NBA Finals, losing in six games to the Pacers.
It was the second year in a row that the Pacers had eliminated the Knicks, but it’s unlikely they’ll have to overcome that hurdle in 2026. Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Pacers are expected to be a non-factor in the East without him.
That has made the Knicks one of the big favorites to win the East next season, and Brunson spoke about the key to success. The two-time All-Star isn’t resting on his laurels, and you should expect him to dominate on the court once again.
