The Jalen Brunson Era of New York Sports Is Upon Us

The throne of New York sports is difficult to claim and easy to keep.

Throughout the 21st century, a certain type of athlete has had that throne and enjoyed the benefits of being New York City’s most famous face. They were all winners and at least competed for championships, if not raised banners. They all possessed a certain degree of charisma to complement their winning ways. Most importantly, they collectively embraced what it meant to star in New York authentically.

Some athletes shy away from the bright lights of the big city for fear of being burned or a preference for privacy; others are all too willing to shamelessly take advantage of a heightened media profile to reap riches and fame. Canny New Yorkers can sniff out those pretenders with ease. The real candidates for the throne are players who project humility, confidence and grace in the wake of their hard-earned success—gladly stepping into the spotlight without seeking it. It might seem like a meaningless distinction for most. But for residents of NYC, all of whom witness transient fame-seekers come and go as they mine the city that never sleeps for fortune, it means everything.

And once they’re in, they’re in. It would take a catastrophic confluence of off- and on-field disasters to knock an athlete off this throne. They only step down when they choose to do so, as their career fades into twilight and a young new contender emerges.

For most of the 2000s, that athlete was Derek Jeter—The Captain, universally beloved by residents from four of the five boroughs (over a decade after his retirement, he might be welcome in Queens). The war of succession that followed prominently featured Alex Rodriguez, Eli Manning and Carmelo Anthony; each had time in the sun, but Manning ultimately outlasted A-Rod’s rapid decline and the all-show, no-substance Melo era. As his career wound down, Aaron Judge burst onto the scene, a literally larger-than-life slugger with an iconic name and a natural, if bashful, charisma that allowed him to sit comfortably at the intersection of freakish talents and approachability. Since 2017 Judge has been the name people associate with New York sports.

But, as we know, he hasn’t won the big one. Thus his grip on the NYC sports throne was never that solid, and the lack of contenders in the early 2020s meant it was Judge’s by default. That changed dramatically in 2026—and after the initiation ritual of hosting Saturday Night Live, it’s clear Jalen Brunson has been crowned king.

His ascension began when he joined the Knicks in 2022. Nobody knew what was in store then, that this diminutive but fierce point guard who showed glimpses of greatness backing up Luka Dončić would transform into a bastion of everything the city stood for. It took a bit for the franchise to put the right pieces around him but Brunson made it clear from the outset that he’d show up for work every day and give it 110%. His gritty play style and visible size disadvantage quickly endeared him to Knicks fans who had been taught (by years of horrible, brutal, painful organizational letdowns) that how a player conducts himself is more worthy of admiration than how the team plays.

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As a result, Brunson worked his way up the New York athlete power rankings until he was on the shortlist of most beloved athletes in the city. But how you play gets you only so far. Winning is what makes memories forever. For a while it seemed like Brunson was fated to be simply the latest in a long line of good-but-not-great athletes to suit up for an NYC team; his time would be remembered fondly but would not echo throughout eternity like Jeets and Eli. And then the 2026 postseason arrived. The stars aligned perfectly in a way Knicks fans never, ever thought they’d live to see. Brunson was ready for the moment and delivered, immortalizing himself and this team by winning the NBA Finals.

A whirlwind of a summer followed. The first ride down the Canyon of Heroes since Manning’s second triumph over the hated Patriots. Endorsement deals and magazine covers and an ever-present place in the pop culture discussion were donned like a king’s accoutrements. Then came the crown: An offer to host SNL, a right of passage all the best New York athletes undergo.

Jalen Brunson SI cover — Jalen Brunson occupied the cover of Sports Illustrated’s August 2026 magazine issue. | Sports Illustrated

Despite rarely showing it off at his day job, Brunson’s good-natured sense of humor was evident as he participated in as many skits as time allowed and poked fun at his team’s habit of falling behind early before coming back to win in his monologue. You don’t have to be a good SNL host to rule New York City ... but it certainly helps.

High School Musical the New Generation pic.twitter.com/MKg5QX4d9s
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) September 27, 2026

And so, four years after he arrived, Brunson completed his ascension as the lights dimmed on the famous SNL set. He offered a subdued grin while surrounded by his teammates, a dozen of New York’s best comedic minds and an ensemble band, noting he’ll have to “get back to my real job soon” before throwing both hands out to bid farewell to his people. His is now the face that will loom above Times Square for most of the calendar year; it’s the Knicks No. 11 jersey that will be spotted the most among subway riders. Brunson will be inescapable in all five boroughs—and since it’s New York City’s habit to project way beyond state lines, he’ll be inescapable everywhere.

Welcome to the Jalen Brunson era of New York sports.

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