The New York Knicks are the 2025-26 NBA champions, snapping the club’s 53-year dry spell. Jalen Brunson took home the Finals MVP Award for his efforts throughout the postseason. But how did he get here after being an underrated prospect entering the league in 2018? Brunson’s former head coach at Villanova, Jay Wright, pinpoints how he became one of the league’s best in the backcourt.
During a guest appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Wright explained how Brunson learned to take his “perceived inadequacies” and turn them into his advantage. Wright stated that Brunson is bigger, faster, and more athletic than he is perceived to be, and the 29-year-old guard takes advantage of his opponents by allowing them to believe those claims.
“He’s taken his perceived inadequacies, like being too small, being too slow, not being athletic enough, and figured out how people are defending him, and how to use that to his advantage,” said Wright about Brunson. “His changing speeds, his physicality, his footwork, he uses that based on the fact that people don’t think he’s athletic.”
"He's taken his perceived inadequacies like being too small, being too slow, not being athletic enough… and figured out how people are defending him – and how to use that to his advantage."
– @CoachJayWright on Jalen Brunson pic.twitter.com/KZGRMxEa8U
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 15, 2026
Brunson went from being a rotational player with the Dallas Mavericks to becoming the No. 1 star on the New York Knicks. He’s been electric since signing with New York in 2022, and led the franchise to a title in just four seasons with the club. He had many doubters after initially joining the Knicks, but Jalen Brunson’s brilliant play even had Stephen A. Smith apologizing to him after the title win.
The eight-year veteran proved to be a difference-maker throughout the playoffs. In 19 total games played in the postseason, Brunson averaged 28.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest. He also shot 46.5% from the field while hitting 36.3% of his three-point attempts.
The post Jay Wright pinpoints how Knicks’ Jalen Brunson went from underrated prospect to NBA champion appeared first on ClutchPoints.
