Among those who witnessed the New York Knicks win their first NBA title in 53 years was Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant. After the Knicks won, she took to Instagram and posted a story featuring Jalen Brunson with a Kobe quote.
“Job’s Finished,” she posted. It was a quote Bryant said in 2009 after the LA Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the Finals.
Vanessa Bryant on IG:
“Job’s Finished.”
(h/t @KicksFinder) pic.twitter.com/gOWE7Uherf
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 15, 2026
Brunson finished the NBA Finals MVP Award, and his leadership was equated to that of Kobe Bryant. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in five games, 94-90. Brunson finished the game with 45 points.
In his youth, Brunson met Bryant in 2014, and he gave him sound advice. “Why work if you don’t want to be the best?” Bryant said to Brunson. It was during that same meeting that Bryant gave Brunson a pair of red high-top Christmas Kobe 9s.
Brunson took that to heart.
Vanessa Bryant has been carrying on the legacy of Kobe ever since he and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant were killed in a helicopter crash in January 2020, along with seven others.
Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2016 and won five NBA titles (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010). He has had his moments against the Knicks, both in his career and at Madison Square Garden.
In 1998, Bryant played in his first All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, going up against Michael Jordan. Bryant scored 61 points during a game against the Knicks in 2009 at The Garden. In 2013, NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Kobe was tempted to join the Knicks.
The post Vanessa Bryant shares Kobe-inspired reaction to Knicks title run appeared first on ClutchPoints.
