Jalen Brunson is Defying the Odds as Knicks Head to NBA Finals

Jalen Brunson isn’t the kind of player who fits the typical “NBA star” mold.

For one, there’s the physical factor. His height, at 6’2″, has always been considered a weakness for Brunson, and he was often called too small by scouts to be a leader in the NBA.

Partly because of his size, Brunson wasn’t even a first-round draft pick. The Dallas Mavericks selected him in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft as the 33rd overall pick. Then, the Mavericks let Brunson walk in free agency in 2022, as he signed a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks. Regret that move, Dallas?

Critics of Brunson have also predicted a postseason demise for the star, since the playoffs are usually heavily defensive and put added pressure on a small guard.

Broadcaster Mike Breen sums it up well in a Saturday, May 30 conversation with New York Post columnist Steve Serby about the Knicks’ run to the NBA Finals.

Read more: Broncos' Best Offseason Move Continues to Be Adding Jaylen Waddle

“He has an iron will,” Breen said of Brunson. “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, they talk about Kobe Bryant … in terms of mental toughness, I’d put him up there with anybody. He has a great basketball mind, and he always figures it out. He just figures out what the defense is doing and how to beat them.”

Breen also said that Brunson is already considered one of the greatest Knicks stars ever, “and even if he doesn’t win a championship, I think he’s already in the conversation and this is just his fourth year with the team.”

More news: Celtics Linked to One of the ‘Biggest Talking Points' of the NBA Combine

But, Brunson has defied the odds and is showing that strength and power isn’t always about being brawny. Brunson’s elite playing abilities are making him an unusual NBA star, and for that, New York loves him even more.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 11:14 AM.