Knicks' Jalen Brunson Dispelling Foul Baiting Claims

Since joining the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson has exceeded all expectations that have been placed on him and the team.

Right from the start, criticisms started with people saying that the Knicks overpaid when the two sides agreed to a four-year, $104 million contract. It took no time flat for that to turn into arguably the most valuable non-rookie contract in the NBA.

Brunson has elevated New York to a championship-caliber team. The 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year has constantly stepped up when the team has needed him most, helping them win the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup with a victory over the San Antonio Spurs, in which he was named the MVP.

There have been discussions about him not being a 1A player because of his lack of size. He has proven that to be inaccurate, performing at an MVP and All-NBA level each night he takes the court.

Jalen Brunson dispelling foul-baiting claims

Dec 27, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

However, there is a new claim that he has to dispel. A lot of people have been referring to Brunson as a foul baiter, flopping to get calls so that he can go to the free throw line and pad his scoring numbers.

A quick look at the statistics would show that this isn’t the case. Brunson is currently 17th in the NBA with 189 total free throw attempts and 19th in free throw attempts per game with 6.5. He is 27th in free throws made per game at 5.5.

When adjusting for per-36-minute or per-100-possessions stats, Brunson isn’t inside the top 20 of any free throw metrics.

Social media narratives, such as Brunson being a foul-baiter, are almost certainly heard by players to some extent. It certainly seems like the Knicks star had enough of the slander, putting together incredibly ethical scoring performances his last two times out.

Point guards to drop 30+ PTS in a game this season without a single free-throw attempt:

Jalen Brunson

End of list. pic.twitter.com/VTGgL7Znxs
— BrunsonMuse (@BrunsonMuse) December 28, 2025

In a victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Brunson shot 15-of-29 from the field, including 4-of-11 from 3-point range en route to 34 points scored. He didn’t attempt a single free throw in the game, making him the first point guard this season to reach the 30-point plateau without the help of a single free throw.

Against the New Orleans Pelicans in the Knicks' most recent game, Brunson once again filled up the point column in the stat sheet without relying on free throws. He made all three of his attempts, while knocking down five of 10 tries from 3-point land to finish the night with 28.

The two-time All-Star has been a maestro on the offensive end. Along with his scoring output, he has handed out 15 assists in the last two games and turned the ball over only four times.

Jalen Brunson over his last two games:

62 PTS
15 AST
2-0 W/L

3 attempted free-throws. pic.twitter.com/Xcil4EO0O6
— BrunsonMuse (@BrunsonMuse) December 30, 2025

Brunson is one of the most skilled offensive players in the NBA. He has immaculate footwork and body control, which more than helps make up for his lack of explosive athleticism.

Stopping him completely is virtually impossible. All opponents can do is hope to contain him because Brunson is going to get his one way or another every night out.

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