New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is dreaming about an NBA championship before the start of the 2024-25 season. He has already proven that he can go to any length for the Larry O’Brien trophy by taking a pay cut of more than $100 million in his max extension, so that the Knicks could spend the money on other pieces to solve the Championship puzzle. On his Roommates Show podcast with teammate Josh Hart, Brunson recently revealed just how much he is willing to sacrifice for an NBA title.
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During a fan Q&A session on the podcast, the duo was asked if they would give up their college accolades for an NBA title. Brunson immediately claimed without hesitation that he’d give up all of his individual college accolades to realize that dream.
When it came to team awards, the Knicks star joked about trading his 2016 NCAA title with the Villanova Wildcats since he won the Championship with Hart. On the other hand, he would prefer keeping his 2018 championship since Hart was not a part of that NCAA title that year. The 29-year-old had already left for the NBA by then.
The 2024 All-Star said, “Every individual accolade? Yes. I would give up my 2016 championship just because I played with him [Pointing to Hart]. 2018, I am keeping for sure.”
Meanwhile, Hart had reservations about giving his only NCAA championship away. But both Knicks guards had no qualms about giving up their personal college accolades to acquire their maiden NBA title.
The needle certainly seems to be moving in that direction.
Jalen Brunson and Co. ready to go for the kill
A few days ago, Brunson agreed to a 4-year, $156.5 million extension with the NY Knicks. This was a shocker considering the Knicks star just made the All-NBA Second Team last season. He was eligible for a contract north of $250 million, especially after his stellar postseason display.
However, this move has given the Knicks immense long-term monetary flexibility to retain players with big contracts or sign someone with a high financial demand.
It is clear that Brunson wants to win a championship at all costs. 2008 champion Paul Pierce was flabbergasted when he learned that the Knicks guard was willing to leave so much on the table to win a championship.
Despite playing against some of the most ambitious players, he had never heard anything like that. For him, giving up that much money made no sense because there is no telling that it could pave the way for a title. On UNDISPUTED, a shocked Pierce expressed,
“You left $113M on the table?! That doesn’t even sound right. What? Hey listen, I get it. You wanna win a championship but that don’t guarantee you a championship.”
However, Brunson’s actions would fill Knicks fans with joy. After being deprived of a championship for five decades, they have finally found someone who is leaving no stone unturned for the elusive NBA title. If they do win it in the near future, Brunson’s contributions may end up being the biggest factor.
