'They Deserve A Lot': Jalen Brunson Lauds Knicks Fans, Prepares For Pressure
Jalen Brunson has already achieved the impossible at New York City's most iconic sports venue: he had a good portion of Madison Square Garden cheering for an athlete hailing from Philadelphia. It was an early spring tradition for Brunson during his days at Villanova University, who would frequently visit for Big East Men's Basketball Tournament action.
But a taller, more permanent, higher-profile task awaits this fall. Without three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell in tow, Brunson is one of the primary headlines of the New York Knicks' future as the signer of a four-year, $104 million deal. Following his efforts in the Dallas Mavericks' run to the most recent Western Conference Finals, the long-suffering franchise has called upon him to bring some elusive consistency to Manhattan.
Brunson's new job will pair him with over 18,000 new co-workers ... those who occupy MSG's seats. Knicks fans remain some of the most passionate in the NBA but have often seen their devout faith go unrewarded. A disappointing follow-up to a rare playoff appearance, going 37-45 and finishing six games out of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, led to Brunson's nine-figure windfall. Now, he'll have to earn it in front of thousands of amateur general managers on a nightly basis.
Asked about his mindset and preparation for playing in front of the raucous New York crowd in an interview with USA Today host Mackenzie Salmon, Brunson perhaps immediately endeared himself to his new fanbase by praising their passion.
"The fans, they deserve a lot. They're a die-hard fanbase. I've seen that for a very long time," Brunson said. "I think, for me, the most important thing is to kind of just connect, give back, obviously play well, obviously play basketball and try to help the team win games."
"But if can connect with the fanbase, if I can do things to kind of show them that, hey, I'm a hard-working guy, I'll do whatever it takes to win, I'm never going to quite, (show) characteristics that kind of fit a New York person, that they work hard and never going to quit, they're going to grind, I think that's the starting point."
Brunson certainly knows how hardwood euphoria can raise the volume at the Garden: his first Manhattan visits came as a child rather than a Wildcat, as his father Rick spent three seasons off the New York bench, a stint that included a run to the 1999 NBA Finals.
His first experience in front of a fully supportive MSG crowd will come on Oct. 21 when the Knicks battle Detroit in their home opener.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
