Jalen Brunson of the @nyknicks is the second player in NBA history to score 45+ points on the road in a title-clinching victory.
The other was Michael Jordan at Utah in 1998.
Getty
Roman Reigns salutes Jalen Brunson on social media
Jalen Brunson is the King of New York. The southpaw guard scored a franchise-record 45 points to lead the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Jalen Brunson of the @nyknicks is the second player in NBA history to score 45+ points on the road in a title-clinching victory.
The other was Michael Jordan at Utah in 1998.
Brunson, who averaged 32.6 points in the championship series, earned the Bill Russell trophy for Finals MVP. He now joins Steph Curry (2022), Tony Parker (2007) and Isiah Thomas (1990) as the only players listed 6-foot-2 and under to win the award.
“He’s one of the greatest Knicks ever, him, me, (Patrick) Ewing and Willis (Reed),” said Walt Frazier.
“They couldn’t stop him,” Frazier added. “The Spurs have excellent defenders and they were frustrated by Brunson, devastated by him. His greatness showed through.”
Karl-Anthony Towns also heaped praise on the reigning Finals MVP: “I see a man that’s grown up. Who took the challenge of being in the biggest market in the world, being with a team that hasn’t made it to the NBA Finals in 27 years and hasn’t won in 53 years, and knowing that he could do it.”
Knicks alumni and players were not the only ones impressed by Brunson’s heroics. WWE star Roman Reigns, whom Brunson admitted he acknowledges before every game, also tipped his cap toward the Knicks superstar.
“Acknowledge the champs!” Roman Reigns captioned under a championship photo of Jalen Brunson and the Knicks on social media.
GettyRoman Reigns gave Jalen Brunson a social media shout-out
The internet (and New York City) was ablaze after the final buzzer of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
For the first time in over five decades, the Knicks are the pinnacle of excellence in the NBA.
Following the Knicks’ historic win, several WWE stars celebrated.
WWE stars Roman Reigns, Danhausen, Damian Priest and Matt Cardona were among those who hyped up the Knicks on social media following their title win on Saturday night. The victory was particularly special for Priest and Cardona, who are New York natives.
“A time to be alive! Congratulations to the New York Knicks,” said Damian Priest.
Danhausen, who famously “uncursed” the Knicks before their dominant playoff run, also congratulated the reigning champions.
“CONGRATULATIONS FROM DANHAUSEN. FOREVER UNCURSED,” the fiendish wrestler posted on X.
Hilariously, Danhausen also demanded a statue in his honor and his face plastered around Times Square as payment for lifting the curse from the Knicks.
During an episode of SmackDown in 2024, wrestler Logan Paul made a grand entrance alongside Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton at Madison Square Garden.
As Haliburton made his way to the ring with Paul, he spotted a familiar foe in the audience — Knicks guard Jalen Brunson — and stepped to him.
The NBA stars exchanged words and nearly came to blows.
Haliburton retrieved Paul’s brass knuckles as the match progressed before banging them on the steel stairs, triggering Brunson to take action.
The Eastern Conference rivals continued jawing before WWE officials separated them.
Following their viral altercation on Smackdown, Haliburton and Brunson were added as playable fighters in WWE 2k25.
Jalyn Smoot Jalyn Smoot is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has nearly 10 years of experience in local and national media, including print and digital. He previously covered the Texas Rangers for MLB.com and the Philadelphia 76ers for Metro Philadelphia. Smoot is a St. Louis born writer that now resides in Dallas. More about Jalyn Smoot
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