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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 06: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on January 06, 2025 in New York City.
Jalen Brunson will be playing in his first-ever NBA Finals as he is set to lead the New York Knicks against the Western Conference champions, the San Antonio Spurs, for the coveted NBA championship.
Brunson has been at the forefront of the Knicks’ success this season, earning him some high-level comparisons to NBA greats Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. The praise came from longtime NBA and Knicks commentator Mike Breen, who said that Brunson is like Jordan and Bryant in terms of mental toughness.
“They talk about Michael Jordan, they talk about Kobe Bryant,” Breen said in an interview with Sam Mico of Hoops Wire. “In terms of mental toughness, I’d put him up there with anybody.”
Mike Breen says Jalen Brunson’s mental toughness is on par with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant:
“He has an iron will. He’s not tall, he’s not fast, he’s not overly athletic. But he’s one of the mentally strongest players I’ve ever been around. They talk about Michael Jordan,
Breen added that Brunson, who is 6-foot-3 and is often regarded as too small to be a superstar, compensates for what he lacks physically through his mental state, a trait that many all-time greats have.
“He has an iron will. He’s not tall, he’s not fast, he’s not overly athletic. But he’s one of the mentally strongest players I’ve ever been around,” he added.
The Knicks will enter the NBA Finals with an 11-game winning streak, starting in Round 1, when they recovered from a 2-1 deficit against the Atlanta Hawks, before sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In this year’s playoff run, Brunson has carried the load for the Knicks, putting up 26.9 points and 6.6 assists per game.
It is only Brunson’s fourth year in New York but he has already become one of the team’s all-time great players, having steered the squad to the conference finals last year and their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years this season.
Brunson will be facing the Spurs, a Western Conference juggernaut led by 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama, fresh from dethroning the OKC Thunder in the conference finals.
GettyNew York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet ahead of the NBA Finals.
Jalen Brunson has worked from a role player, a secondary star alongside Luka Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks, to a franchise superstar with the Knicks.
According to Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who is in his first season with New York this year, Brunson’s greatness hinged on his unrelenting work ethic, which set an example for the rest of the Knicks.
“Their quiet strength, all the time, is what they all have in common,” he said. “[Jalen Brunson’s] work ethic is off the chart and he makes me adjust because he goes so hard every day. When your leader is that way, it’s easy to be a coach.”
Brunson will continue to be the anchor for the Spurs as they look to finally bring New York its first NBA title since 1973, over half a century ago.
GettyThe Knicks are ready for the NBA Finals against the Spurs.
The New York Knicks will be the more rested team in the NBA Finals compared to the Spurs.
After sweeping the Cavaliers in the conference finals, the Knicks had eight days to rest and prepare for the NBA Finals. On the other hand, the Spurs only have three days after going seven games against the Thunder.
That means the Knicks have watched the Spurs more intently over the past few days than the Spurs have watched New York. They will also be benefiting from the Spurs’ fatigue after a grueling series against the defending champions.
The NBA Finals opener will be on June 3 in San Antonio.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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