Jalen Brunson’s place in New York Knicks history has long been secure. But after guiding the Knicks to their first title in 53 years, there is no doubt that Brunson is an all-time franchise great, certainly in the top three.
While he still has a way to go before he can be compared to players like Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier, who have had their numbers retired, Brunson’s remarkable rise from underdog to superstar is bringing him closer to that conversation.
During the postgame celebration following the NBA Finals, Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, put the debate into perspective while appearing on Inside the NBA.
“No disrespect, I love my son but Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick I’ve ever witnessed,” he said.
It’s hard to debate against Ewing, as he was the face of the franchise for 15 years straight, delivering night in and night out. As the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, points, rebounds, steals, blocks and win shares, there is no debate that he is one of the best players to ever play for the Knicks.
His speed and skill dazzled Knicks fans throughout the ’90s. He led New York to two NBA Finals appearances, and despite never getting over the hump, Ewing cemented himself as one of the most dominant presences in NBA history.
Can Jalen Brunson Surpass Patrick Ewing?
As great as Patrick Ewing was in his day, what Jalen Brunson has done in just four years is truly remarkable, and that would put him anywhere between No. 1 and No. 3 in the debate over who wears the ultimate crown in New York.
At a time when the Knicks were still trying to establish themselves as contenders, Brunson made the franchise relevant again. Since arriving in New York, Brunson has transformed the Knicks into contenders, guiding them to two second-round appearances and an Eastern Conference Finals run last season.
This year, however, he took them one step further, leading the franchise to its first NBA championship in 53 years by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games. There’s still so much of Brunson’s story left to be told, which may only move him further up this list in the future.
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