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Jalen Brunson Not Satisfied With Captainship

Jalen Brunson's first year as New York Knicks captain will end in the NBA Playoffs.
Geoff Maggliocchetti|
Apr 11, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three point shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three point shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson has found land. Does buried championship treasure await?

Only time will tell and the voyage continues when the Knicks open their postseason journey against the Detroit Pistons over the weekend. As the Knicks prepped while rest of the NBA bracket is settled, Brunson reflected on year one at the players' helm.

"For me, having the title as captain is an honor," Brunson said in video from SNY, reasoning that he wouldn't change anything about his tenure to date. "I think the more I go through, the more I learn, the more I can be better at it. To be able to go out there and help put us in position to be in the playoffs, obviously I don't take that for granted."

"But there's a long way to go for me to be the best version of that title."

The Knicks (51-31) have entered a new era of prosperity since Brunson joined the team in the summer of 2022. New York has reached the playoffs in each of his three seasons (its first such streak since 2011-13) and has also posted consecutive campaigns with half-a-hundred wins (first since 1991-95).

But, as Brunson alluded to, more is needed this time around, as few if any in New York will be satisfied by a single playoff series victory this time around. Getting through a potential second-round set with the defending champion Boston Celtics will be challenging as but the Knicks must first deal with the sixth-ranked Detroit Pistons, their first-round opponent.

Brunson has worked wonders in his three years in Manhattan. But the point guard, while fully able and willing to accept the challenge, has learned the hard way that taking on a title previously worn by legends of the city such as Willis Reed, Bernard King, and Patrick Ewing, carries an equal number of burdens as it does perks.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGGLIOCCHETTI

Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.

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