For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are NBA champions, and they are not wasting the opportunity to celebrate. Today, still fresh off their historic title run, the Knicks finally got to share their victory with the city in the form of a lucrative championship parade.
The star of the event was Jalen Brunson, who was all smiles as the reigning Finals MVP. He’s the heart and soul of this Knicks team, and he had a lot to say to the crowd as he reflected on the momentous achievement. In an act of pure class, he began his speech by paying respects to those who made the run possible.
“First and foremost, I want to say thank you to Jim Dolan and the front office for believing in a kid no one else would,” said Brunson. “Thank you to my teammates for giving me confidence every single day. The belief we had in each other made this possible. Thank our coaching staff, our medical staff, and everyone who pitched in every single day behind the scenes.”
For Brunson, one of the biggest feelings right now is disbelief. While he always knew what the Knicks were capable of, it’s another thing to be on the other end of it, having completed the mission in such a dominant fashion. The best part? Bringing joy to all those starving Knicks fans, who Brunson says have been his harshest critics.
“We really did it, dawg. Somehow, someway, I knew we were gonna find a way to get this done,” Brunson added. “Most importantly, thank you to the fans. Not gonna lie though, y’all are some pretty hard critics. But we appreciate it. I also want to thank my family. Without them and their sacrifice, it wouldn’t be possible. They keep me humble every single day and never let me get off track. Damn, New York, we really did it, man.”
Finally, Brunson spoke directly to the doubters, who have questioned his game every step of the way. Instead of taking the moment to make a fool of them or name specific names (like former Spurs coach Becky Hammon), he agreed to let his game do the talking.
“There are a lot of people who have a lot of negative stuff to say,” Brunson said. “There are a lot of people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you don’t have to say sh*t to them.”
Jalen Brunson pulled off the impossible in New York, and his legacy has been cemented as a hero of the city. At 6’2″ and 190 pounds, he may not be your typical NBA superstar, but he’s delivered in every way for the Knicks, and it’s brought them their first championship in over five decades.
With nothing left to prove now, Brunson is claiming victory over the doubters, but that doesn’t mean he’ll go out of his way to mention them. After all, for every Brunson hater, there are 100 supporters who appreciate what he’s done for the franchise. Best of all, with another three years and $120 million on his contract, Brunson still has time on the clock to achieve even more for the Knicks.
