Jalen Brunson, fresh off leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973, stated that the monumental achievement will not define his career. Brunson, who was named Finals MVP, expressed that his approach to the game and his personal drive for improvement will remain unchanged.
"It will be the same. It’s something that I get to walk around with and think about when I’m — when I need to give myself a little confidence, or whatever, just in certain situations. But my approach and everything has to be the same," Brunson said in an interview with The Post's "New York Got Game" show. "Just because I’ve reached the mountaintop of winning an NBA championship doesn’t mean that it’s over with. I feel like there’s still a lot more to do and a lot more that I can prove. It’s 100 percent always going to be in the mind, I’m just not going to let it define me."
Four years after signing with the Knicks, Brunson has become a significant figure in the team's history. With the core of the team returning for the upcoming season, including all key players except Mitchell Robinson, Brunson's hunger for more success is evident.
His mother, Sandra, described him as an "ultimate worker" who, even in the immediate aftermath of the championship win, was already looking ahead. "Moments after, days after, but I could see from my perspective that he was like, ‘OK, next. What’s next?’ Because he’s not satisfied," she told The Post. "Reaching the pinnacle or the mountaintop is great. But his career is still, he’s still thriving in his career and it’s still on an uptick. I think that he’s like, ‘What’s the next challenge? What’s the next hurdle?’ I saw that in him."
Sandra Brunson also noted his on-court focus and discipline, adding that while he allowed himself to absorb the championship celebrations, his mind was always on future objectives. "I think he’s the type of person that when his career is over, he’ll look back and appreciate everything that he and his teammates have accomplished, but while in the moment, I think he’s already thinking, ‘How can I get better?’ "
Brunson acknowledged the championship win was an emotional experience, but he was surprised by the aspects beyond the immediate victory. "Yes and no," he said when asked if it met his expectations. "I kind of understood what the feeling would be like. In the moment of it happening, I understood what that would be like — I knew I’d be emotional. Just everything after that is what I wasn’t expecting."
The period following the championship has been demanding, with numerous obligations and added events. Despite the busy schedule, Brunson has prioritized making time for his family and his "main job."
"Obviously there’s a lot of obligations you have to do. A lot of things that have already [been] structured into your calendar, a lot of things added in. So there have been a lot of things like that, but still been trying to make time for my family, still make time for my main job," he said.
Brunson remains resolute that his fundamental identity hasn't changed. Fans can anticipate the same player when the new season begins, now with new goals to pursue.