Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on doubters: ‘When you prove them wrong, they don’t deserve it’

Jalen Brunson spent the entire season answering questions.

Could he lead a championship team? Was he really a true superstar? Could a 6-foot-2 guard be the best player on a title winner?

Now, after leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years, Brunson appears to have his answer.

Speaking during New York’s championship celebration Thursday, the Finals MVP finally addressed the critics who questioned him along the way.

“There’s a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say,” Brunson said. “There’s a lot of people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you really don’t have to say s— to them. They don’t deserve it.”

The comments came as more than one million fans packed the streets of Manhattan for the Knicks’ long-awaited championship parade.

Brunson has rarely engaged with outside criticism publicly. But questions about his ability to lead a team to a title followed him throughout his rise from second-round draft pick to NBA champion.

Among the more notable skeptics was former WNBA star and Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who famously suggested in 2023 that a team couldn’t win a championship with Brunson as its best player.

Knicks teammate Mikal Bridges later acknowledged that those comments helped fuel Brunson’s motivation.

Whether that was the case or not, Brunson delivered one of the greatest seasons in franchise history.

The All-Star guard guided New York to its first title since 1973 and was named Finals MVP after helping the Knicks defeat the Spurs in five games.

“Damn, New York, we really did it,” Brunson told the crowd. “Somehow, some way, I knew we were going to find a way to get this done.”

Judging by Thursday’s celebration, an entire city agreed.

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