Jason Burgos
Jalen Brunson has added to his legacy as one of the greatest players in New York Knicks history over the last couple of weeks. However, some new comments on Wednesday accentuate why Carmelo Anthony was so bad for the franchise during his time in Gotham.
The Knicks have felt like a team of destiny this month. After falling down two games to one in their quarterfinal series against the Atlanta Hawks, they have gone on a historic tear in winning seven straight and blasting their way into the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
It is the second straight year the team has reached the Conference Finals, and Brunson has played a massive role in their success over the last four years. This also includes reaching the playoffs every season since he arrived in New York in 2022. Because, in that time, he stunned the NBA world by emerging as a perennial All-Star and the best closer in the game.
Yet, what makes Brunson so beloved by Knicks fans is that he is a humble star who is team-first. He proved that once again on Wednesday. During a press conference with NYC media, Brunson was asked about his teammates putting up more shots of late and not demanding the ball as many stars could. His answer was simple and perfect.
“One, I’m not a star. Two, I want to win,” Brunson said.
Carmelo Anthony can’t hold a candle to Jalen Brunson in NYC
That sort of selfless and humble nature has not been seen in a top Knicks star in a very long-time. Decades. And New York had one for seven seasons in Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Yet, for as good as Anthony was, he comes nowhere close to as impactful a player as Brunson has been.
During his seven seasons in New York, the 10-time All-Star led the Knicks to the playoffs only three times. In four of those years, they had a losing record, including a 17-65 mark in 2014-15 when he played in just 40 games. And when he did make the playoffs, the farthest New York got was one trip to the semifinals.
Brunson has done at least that every single season he has been with the team. Plus, he took a discounted rate when he signed his extension in 2024.
Anthony was a great player and legendary scorer, but his me-first, ball-hogging style was great for his numbers but bad for his teammates and the Knicks’ championship hopes. While New York fans celebrated the return of the kid who was born in Brooklyn, his seven years playing inside Madison Square Garden were mostly disappointing. And they set up seven straight losing seasons for the franchise.
Brunson has delivered excellence from Day 1, and he is still just 29 years old. So more big seasons and potentially the Knicks first championship since 1973 could be ahead. Fans should appreciate the three-time All-Star as much as possible because superstars like him don’t come along often.
