The New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson captaincy is a no-brainer. Brunson, 27, has been playing for the Knicks since 2022. The New Brunswick, New Jersey, native previously played for the Dallas Mavericks from 2018 to 2022 after being selected with the 33rd overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft out of Villanova.
Brunson’s presence on the Knicks can be felt on and off the court, despite how the 6-foot-2, 190-pound point guard has only been in New York City for two years and counting. On Monday, the Knicks posted on X (formerly Twitter), “A NEW CAPTA11N IN NEW YORK. Jalen Brunson Named Captain of the Knicks.”
With the Knicks’ nomination, Brunson became the 36th captain in franchise history and first since the 2018-19 NBA season. But Brunson was arguably the Knicks captain before the team decided to bestow the honor on the 2024 NBA All-Star and 2024 All-NBA Second Team member. Read on for three reasons why the Knicks chose Brunson.
Jalen Brunson’s Tenure With Dallas Mavericks
Jalen Brunson has been with the New York Knicks since 2022, but Dallas Mavericks fans would remember the Villanova alum turned sixth man. He started in place of the injured Dennis Smith Jr. on October 18, 2018. Brunson’s start came just one day after his NBA debut, where he recorded three points, one rebound, and an assist, in the Mavericks’ 121-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns on October 17, 2018.
On December 16, 2019, Luka Doncic was out of the Mavericks’ lineup. As a starting point guard, Brunson recorded a career-high 11 assists, along with his first double-double (13 points) of the 2019-20 NBA season. Brunson’s contributions helped the Mavericks snap the Milwaukee Bucks’ 18-game winning streak and later sparked other career-highs in points, assists, and rebounds to justify a potential leadership role.
Jalen Brunson’s Tenure With The New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, was hired by the New York Knicks as an assistant coach on June 2, 2022. Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks on July 12, 2022. New York was then punished for allegedly engaging in conversations with Brunson before the NBA free agency window officially opened.
The Knicks’ controversial signing got off to a rough start but worked out in the end. Brunson’s career highs continued to improve while solidifying himself as one of the Knicks leaders since arriving in New York City in 2022. Brunson became the Knicks’ first captain since Lance Thomas in 2018-19.
Jalen Brunson Deserves New York Knicks Captaincy
Old-school New York Knicks fans would remember Willis Reed, a 1982 Hall of Famer and a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams, respectively. Reed wasn’t named the Knicks’ captain until 1967. “A born leader,” said Knicks Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, according to the New York Post.
Like Reed, Jalen Brunson was an unofficial captain and a leader before becoming an official captain. Brunson’s leadership has been shown on various occasions, such as his May 19, 2024, when he took accountability after the Knicks’ loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
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