December was a wild month around the NBA. There were huge individual performances, surprise wins, and more than a few nights where the scoreboard looked fake. To celebrate December, the league announced the KIA Players of the Month, and the revelation baffled Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
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For the West, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the honor as he continues to have the Oklahoma City Thunder in first place. In the East, Jalen Brunson earned the award after helping the Knicks capture some gold by winning the NBA Cup. Both players put up serious numbers over the last 30-day stretch. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 6.1 APG. Meanwhile, Brunson shone in his own right with averages of 30.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 7.1 APG.
Brown was shocked at how Gilgeous-Alexander and Brunson were chosen over himself. He aired that grievance online with a tweet that read “SMH” on the NBA’s official announcement. As if that wasn’t enough, he later addressed his discrepancy with the choices during a stream while he was on the road.
“Honestly, I’m not going to say too much, but I’m going to be honest. No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson. But neither one of them had a better month than I had. But it’s all good. Those are great players,” Brunson stated.
Jaylen Brown:
“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson. But neither one of them had a better month than I had.”
(via @lockedupjb)pic.twitter.com/yDVdS4dIkC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 3, 2026
Brown does have some ground to stand on. His excellent play led the Celtics to a 9–3 December record, with Boston now holding the No. 3 seed. He himself averaged 31.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists during that stretch. Are those stats diabolically better than Brunson’s or SGA’s? No, but considering most people wrote the Celtics off this year because of Jayson Tatum’s absence, Brown’s chip only continues to grow, and that is bad news for the East.
On the other hand, Brunson getting the nod makes sense. He was the NBA Cup MVP, and he followed that up with a walk-off three against his archrival, the Pacers. Sure, the Pacers beat the Knicks at the beginning of the month, and Brunson dropped 42 points in that game, but was that enough? He certainly thinks so, and it will only fuel his game even further.
That is really what December gave us more than anything, proof that recognition in today’s NBA is as much about narrative as it is about numbers. SGA and Brunson were rewarded for anchoring teams with clear identities and big moments attached to them. Jaylen Brown’s case highlights how team context and timing can quietly tilt these debates.
None of these guys were wronged, and none were undeserving. They simply peaked in different ways at the same time. If anything, the pushback only added another layer to an already chaotic month, setting the tone for a season where every accolade is going to be argued just as fiercely as the games themselves. If Brown really wants the respect, he will have to win when it matters most, which he has already proven he can do.
