NBA stars Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson may live on opposite sides of the country, but that doesn’t mean they can’t appreciate each other’s game. As two of the best players in the game right now, the respect between Doncic and Brunson is clear as day, and it no doubt stems from their tenure as teammates on the Dallas Mavericks.
It’s been years since the stars played together, but they never lost touch. In fact, in the aftermath of the Knicks‘ recent title win, Doncic made a statement to recognize Brunson, who was named the Finals MVP for his efforts.
“First of all, he’s a great guy. He has a winner mentality that makes him different from other players,” said Luka on ‘Drafteados.’ “We talk all the time. We talked before the last game. I said you’ve got one more, and of course, after he won, I congratulated him on the title.”
Before Luka was a star on the Lakers, he was just a young baller on the Mavericks. Alongside Brunson, who was picked in the same draft as Luka, he helped lead the franchise to prosperity in the West, as far as the NBA Finals. Just a few months later, however, Brunson was picked up by the New York Knicks, where he remains today.
Relatively speaking, Brunson and Doncic’s partnership lasted for a short time, but they achieved a lot. Together, they transformed the Mavericks from an afterthought in the West to a true contender, proving that they had real chemistry both on and off the court. Unfortunately, they were never able to see it through before being split up in a messy divorce that many believe should not have happened.
So when Brunson won the championship in New York this season as the leading option for the Knicks, it would have been easy for Luka to feel resentment or jealousy. Instead, Doncic is singing his praises, despite Brunson doing what he’s been unable to do on the Lakers so far.
Besides his amazing talent, what makes Brunson so special (according to Doncic) is his competitive spirit and winner’s mentality. Whatever the scenario, Jalen is someone who never quits, and we saw that in the Finals this year, when he helped the Knicks to a massive 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the series.
As a leader, Brunson always holds his teammates accountable, but he also holds himself to the highest standard. This is what helps him come through for his team time and time again, and it’s how he’s become the hero of Knicks basketball. For Luka, Brunson’s rise was no surprise, and he expects the Knicks to be competitive for many years to come.
The Lakers, meanwhile, still have a long way to go before they can call themselves champions once again. Like Jalen, Luka Doncic has embraced a never-quit mentality, but he can only do so much if the roster isn’t up to par. That’s why the pressure will be on Rob Pelinka this summer to get Luka the help he deserves.
