Lengthy earlier than guard Jalen Brunson silenced critics by guiding the New York Knicks to an NBA Finals win and incomes Finals MVP honors, he had the legendary Jay Wright as a head coach when the 2 had been with the Villanova Wildcats.
Throughout a Sunday look on native sports activities radio station WFAN, Wright made a giant admission about how he considered Brunson earlier than the 29-year-old grew to become the brand new king of New York sports activities.
Jay Wright can be “mendacity” if he noticed this model of Jalen Brunson coming
“I can’t say that I noticed that. I’d be mendacity,” Wright stated about Brunson turning into a Knicks franchise legend, per Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media and Lou DiPietro of Audacy.
These working the Dallas Mavericks additionally clearly did not see this coming, as they let Brunson attain free agency in the summertime of 2022. Some on the time questioned if Brunson possessed the scale and the athleticism required to function a so-called “1A” participant for an marketed championship contender. Most just lately, Brunson answered such questions when he scored 45 factors on 14-of-27 capturing within the Knicks’ 94-90 Recreation 5 win that ended the franchise’s 53-year championship drought.
Within the course of, Brunson tied Michael Jordan for essentially the most factors tallied in an NBA title clincher on the highway.
Jay Wright thought Jalen Brunson can be “a No. 2 man”
“I all the time thought he’d be an NBA champion as a result of he has the management of a winner, however I all the time thought he’d be the purpose guard as a No. 2 man, like he was with Luka Doncic in Dallas,” Wright added. “When he made the choice to come back to the Knicks, he advised me he wished to steer a workforce; I used to be like, ‘You do lead a workforce as the purpose guard,’ and he’s confirmed it’s not about saying it, it’d about doing it – and he’s performed that Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant-type of prepared his workforce to win, not simply by perspective, however by pure execution and psychological toughness. To mentally take it on his shoulders, make the proper play and the massive shot, tackle the massive second and reply…I can’t say that I noticed that, I’d be mendacity.”
Within the eyes of some, Brunson has cemented himself as the best participant in Knicks historical past. No matter whether or not or not he guides the Knicks to a different title, it now appears to be a lock that the franchise will retire his No. 11 jersey not lengthy after he calls time on his professional profession.
