Jalen Brunson still asks his parents before major purchases
The Knicks captain told WSJ he seeks family advice on big buys despite his NBA salary, brand deals and equity investments.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson still calls his parents before major purchases, even as his earnings have reached elite NBA levels. Brunson told The Wall Street Journal that family advice remains part of how he protects wealth from his playing career and business ventures.
“Even to this day—I know it’s crazy—if I feel like I’m making a big purchase, I’m gonna call my parents,” Brunson told WSJ. He said he asks them what they think because he wants confidence that he is making the right decision.
Brunson said his parents remain a financial sounding board despite his status as an adult and one of the league’s better-paid players. ESPN listed his 2025-26 salary at about $34.9 million and ranked him among the NBA’s top 50 highest-paid players, according to Fortune.
Fortune reported that Brunson’s parents bring relevant experience to those conversations. His father played nine seasons in the NBA, while his mother has worked as a nonprofit chief financial officer and as a litigation consultant.
Brunson told WSJ he keeps putting himself through those reviews because he wants his money to last and to support future generations. The approach, he said, is part of checking whether he is handling his finances properly.
Contract, media work and equity investments
Brunson has played for the Knicks since 2022, according to Fortune. In 2024, he agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $156 million.
Fortune reported that Brunson could have waited another year and pursued a five-year deal worth about $100 million more. Instead, the outlet said, the contract he signed gave the Knicks more flexibility to strengthen the roster before the team won its first NBA championship since 1973 last month.
Brunson told WSJ that people describe the decision as leaving money behind, though he said the deal was the largest contract he could sign at that time. He also said his previous NBA earnings gave him enough security to feel comfortable, adding that knowing his family was financially stable let him play with freedom.
Off the court, Brunson co-hosts The Roommates Show with Knicks teammate Josh Hart, according to Fortune. The outlet also reported that he became an equity investor and long-term partner in Just Salad earlier this year.
Brunson also co-founded the Second Round Foundation, a youth advocacy nonprofit, with his mother, Sandra Brunson, in 2023, Fortune reported. His endorsement work has included Nike, American Express, AT&T, DoorDash, BodyArmor and Delta.
Brunson told WSJ that endorsement deals helped open doors, but he is now more focused on equity opportunities and preparing for life after basketball. He said those deals can carry risk, but he believes he has saved enough and accomplished enough to look for ways to build outside the sport.
Fortune reported that Brunson is also a member of JPMorgan Chase’s Athlete Council. The group works with athletes, including professionals and high school players signing name, image and likeness deals, on managing money from sports careers that may not last long.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.