Jalen Brunson credits father after Knicks win first NBA title since 1973

Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to the 2026 NBA championship and was named Finals MVP, according to Fortune, ending a title drought that stretched back to 1973. The win matters in New York because it delivered the franchise its first Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in more than five decades.

Fortune reported that the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after rallying from a double-digit deficit. Brunson scored 45 points in the deciding game, nearly half of New York’s offense, according to the report.

After the title, Brunson pointed to his father, Rick Brunson, as a major influence on how he prepared for his role with the Knicks. In an interview with Men’s Journal cited by Fortune, Brunson said he was ready when bigger responsibilities came because he had learned to stay prepared.

“Watching my dad growing up and seeing how hard he worked to be in the position he was, it only pushed me to work harder once I got the opportunity,” Brunson told Men’s Journal.

A family link to Knicks history

Rick Brunson also played for the Knicks, and Fortune reported that Jalen Brunson saw his father with New York during the team’s 1999 Finals run. That appearance had been the Knicks’ last trip to the Finals before 2026, according to Fortune.

Rick Brunson played nine NBA seasons, including time with the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers, before moving into full-time coaching in 2007, Fortune reported. He returned to the Knicks as an assistant coach in 2022, the same year Jalen Brunson joined the team.

Jalen Brunson’s rise to Finals MVP followed a slower start in the NBA draft process. Fortune reported that he entered the league in 2018 as the No. 33 overall pick, selected in the second round rather than among the first-round prospects most teams prioritize.

Brunson spent four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and developed into one of the league’s top point guards, averaging about 16 points per game during that stretch, according to Fortune. Since arriving in New York, he has become the central figure in the Knicks’ climb back to championship contention.

Celebrations and a parade ahead

Fortune reported that New Yorkers in Knicks colors poured into the streets after the victory, turning parts of the city into an extended celebration. Fans climbed street signs and scaffolding as the city marked the franchise’s long-awaited championship.

A ticker-tape parade is planned for later in the week, according to Fortune, which said it will be the first such parade for the Knicks. Fortune noted that the city’s ticker-tape tradition has honored major figures and teams in the past, including the 1961 Yankees and Nelson Mandela after his release from prison.

Brunson told Men’s Journal that his approach has stayed consistent through different stages of his career. He said his work ethic from high school through college and into the NBA has centered on becoming the best player he can be.

He also told Men’s Journal that the private parts of the season matter because people notice how players work when attention fades. For the Knicks, that preparation ended with a championship and a new place for Brunson in franchise history.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.