Jalen Brunson, to the death with the Knicks: "I want to win here"
The point guard has been named captain of the New York franchise and intends to stay with the team until the end of his career
Jalen Brunson no longer needs an introduction among New York Knicks fans. After two spectacular seasons in New York, the MVP candidate has established himself as a fan favorite. However, on Thursday afternoon, Brunson was "reintroduced" to the media as the 36th captain in the franchise's history.
Brunson's numbers with the Knicks are impressive: he has averaged 26.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game, with a 40.7% three-point shooting accuracy. But his contribution goes beyond statistics, and the Knicks recognized him by naming him captain in acknowledgment of his leadership.
"I felt honored," Brunson commented. "For me, this doesn't change how I approach things each day. I come in, work hard, do everything the same way, but being able to carry that title means a lot."
Brunson admitted he never thought about being named captain. His focus has always been on how he can help his team win, knowing that collective success benefits everyone individually. "That has been my focus all this time, and I will keep saying it over and over: I feel honored," he added.
In addition to his new role, Brunson discussed his recent four-year, $156 million contract extension, in which he left over $100 million on the table to help the Knicks build a championship-caliber team around him. If he had waited until next summer, he could have signed an extension worth up to $270 million for five years.
Why did he decide to sign now?
"I think anyone who knows me knows what I'm made of," Brunson explained. "I think through every decision I make, and I am completely comfortable with what I've done. I want to win. I want to win here."
"A lot of things can happen in a year," he added. "Everyone in this room has seen a lot happen in a year when players wait. Plus, I would love to be here, I want to be here for the rest of my career. Winning surpasses anything I do individually."
In just two seasons, Brunson, along with coach Tom Thibodeau and team president Leon Rose, has established a winning culture in the Knicks, something that had been missing for quite some time. He has led the Knicks to the playoffs in each of his two seasons, finished in the top five of the MVP voting, and was included in the All-NBA Second Team.
The Villanova product isn't content
"It's nice to hear that we are contenders, but I think we have to enter training camp without mentioning that word," Brunson said. "From day one, let's just get better every day. Let's focus on the next day. Obviously, I've said I want to advance past the second round for two straight years, but you can't just enter the season and jump back to the second round. You have to start from scratch."
"We have some new pieces, we have familiar faces. What can we do with them? What kind of team do we want to be? So, we have to focus and commit together," Brunson concluded.
Jalen Brunson has not only proven to be a star on the court but also a leader in the locker room. As the captain of the Knicks, his influence will be key in guiding the team to new heights in the upcoming season. New York fans can rest assured that with Brunson at the helm, the Knicks will continue on the path to success.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jalen Brunson, a muerte con los Knicks: "Quiero ganar aquí"
