Jalen Brunson was named captain of the New York Knicks, marking his first time taking on this leadership role in his NBA career. Recently, Brunson opened up about the weight of being the team’s captain and the responsibility he feels to help deliver another championship to New York.
Now in his third season with the Knicks, Brunson has already shown his ability to lead, helping bring the team to back-to-back conference semifinals for the first time in over a decade.
“I didn’t get emotional, but I was really thankful and appreciative to see such champions pulling for me,” Brunson told Posting and Toasting. “I just know that I’ve got to go out there and help my team win so that hopefully, I’ll have that champion title too one day.”
“My parents raised me to be a leader,” Brunson continued. “I wasn’t doing the stuff I was doing to be named captain; I was doing it to try to help my team win games. I worked hard and led by example.”
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts after a three point shot in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Elsa/Getty Images
Brunson’s leadership style
Brunson also emphasized the importance of uniting the team and adapting his leadership style to his teammates. “You’ve got to know how to talk to certain people, because everyone has a different reaction to different leadership styles,” Brunson said.
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“It’s my job to understand different temperaments, and with my teammates, especially in the heat of battle, emotions can be high, so you have to understand what’s going on and how to manage those different temperaments,” he continued.
“I’m not that person who’s going to go out there and yell and scream and have everyone think, ‘He just wants to be in control.’ That’s not me. I just want everyone to be on the same page, and now, I know my audience,” Brunson added.
The importance of an NBA championship
The Knicks’ point guard highlighted his main career goal: winning an NBA championship. “I think that for my career, the most important thing is to be a champion. I want to win. That’s what’s at the top of my list. That’s numbers one, two, three, four, or five for long-term goals. And then I guess, just like in life, I’ll figure out the rest.”
