Jalen Brunson came to New York in 2022 after spending four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. Since his arrival, the three-time NBA All-Star has completely transformed the Knicks’ sports culture.
The Knicks star guided New York to the 2025-26 NBA championship with a dominating 4-1 series win against the San Antonio Spurs.
The 29-year-old has brought home both the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and the NBA Finals MVP awards. He capped off the postseason by scoring 45 points on 14-of-27 shooting in Game 5 and clinching the NBA title, breaking a 53-year drought.
Why Gilbert Arenas Believes Jalen Brunson Deserves a Statue
On the latest episode of “The Gilbert Arenas Show,” the former three-time NBA All-Star argued that the Knicks need to honor their captain by erecting a statue outside MSG.
Arenas emphasized that Brunson’s contributions on the hardwood and his compromise at the negotiating table make him a “different breed of family man.”
“You are able to keep building because your best player, your captain, your champion finals MVP, your Eastern Conference finals MVP, took a $100 million pay cut for you to keep building,” said Arenas.
“I can tell you right now, New York, there’s no question who the king of New York is…The question is, pound for pound, when you throw everything on the table, is he [Brunson] the best Knicks signing ever? The sacrifice of not taking a super super max and winning the championship… I don’t think anybody will question if he has a statue by the season starting of 2026-2027.”
“We’re talking about a statue because he won the championship and he saved a $100 million,” Arenas continued. “We’re talking about a different breed of family man… He brought you a present and a future. So, when you are talking about if the Knicks win another championship in 5, 10 years, and he’s not there, he’s the reason that you won one.”
In 2024, Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension through 2028-29, leaving an estimated $113 million on the table to keep roster flexibility, a move that shocked the league.
In an age when paychecks reach above $60 million for a single season, Brunson’s $34.9 million salary for a title season underscores his loyalty to the Knicks and basketball.
Pro Football Network’s Alex Kennedy shared the Knicks head coach’s take on Brunson’s decision to accept a pay cut.
“He understands what winning is about. He comes, and he probably takes a pay cut that I wouldn’t have taken. Every time they would’ve thrown that number in front of me, I would have said ‘no,’ and I feel like I’m a good guy.”
“He set the bar before he even stepped on the floor every time it came to renegotiate a deal with him. That set the standard. Now, when you take his play into account, it’s off the charts, man… I hope Pat [Ewing] doesn’t kill me, but when it comes to New York basketball, [Brunson] is freaking him,” said Mike Brown.
By choosing championship glory over the super-max dollar signs, Jalen Brunson has not only re-established the Knicks’ dominance but will also inspire upcoming players.
