Jalen Brunson just captured his first NBA championship ring at 29 years old, capping off a dominant postseason run by the New York Knicks where he anchored his position. By doing so, he joins the exclusive company of LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who also won their first titles before turning 30.
Brunson secured his first ring three years later than Curry, who was just 26 when he won his first NBA Finals. However, the Golden State Warriors legend shares the distinction of winning the title in his very first Finals appearance.
Compared to James, Brunson is two years older than the Lakers star was during his first championship run. James was 27 when he got his first ring against Oklahoma City. Had Brunson not won, Victor Wembanyama could have done it at 22 but he came up short in his first trip to the Finals.
Brunson left his mark on the Finals
Brunson didn’t just help bring a title to New York; he also posted some massive individual numbers this postseason. He logged his fourth-highest playoff scoring average while pulling down a postseason career-high 4.1 defensive rebounds per game.
In the decisive Game 5 against the Spurs to clinch the title, Brunson dropped 45 points, another feat that holds up against James and Curry. It’s a performance that will undoubtedly go down in franchise history as an iconic moment, anchoring the team’s comeback to win the Finals.
Brunson didn’t cruise to this ring, either. The Knicks battled through some regular-season turbulence and missed out on the top seed in the Eastern Conference. But once the playoffs started, they found a second gear, dropping just three games total and avoiding a single Game 7.
