Jason Burgos
Is New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson the closest thing to Kobe Bryant in today’s NBA? The Hall of Famer’s one-time Los Angeles Lakers teammate Metta World Peace sure thinks so.
A couple of weeks ago, the Knicks completed a magical run to the franchise’s first championship since 1973. Sure, players like OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart played significant roles in making it to and winning the NBA Finals. However, they aren’t in the running to contend for a title without the play and leadership of Brunson.
Yet, the 2025-26 NBA season was no outlier for the Knicks guard. Since arriving in 2022, the second-round pick has performed at an All-Star level. Posting 26.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and is shooting 39% from three over his four seasons in Gotham.
However, what has made him different than most NBA stars is that Brunson has excelled when it matters most. In fourth quarters during the regular season, and in clutch moments in the playoffs, the last few seasons.
The three-time All-Star has been among the league leaders in fourth-quarter playoff scoring the last three years, and led the league with 105 this spring. There was no better proof of his big-moment talents than dropping 45 points on an elite San Antonio Spurs defense in their championship-clinching Game 5 win.
Those heroics in the clutch and excelling when it is winning time have garnered a lot of comparisons to the Lakers icon in recent weeks. The 18-time All-Star was also one of the NBA’s top closers during his career and had a thirst to win that was second to none.
In a new interview with Adam Garfield, Bryant’s teammate in LA for five seasons, Metta World Peace, confirmed he believes the Knicks star is today’s version of the Lakers great.
“I said Jalen Brunson was the best player in the playoffs because he fits that style. Mid-range [shooting], three pointers, probing, attacking, savvy. Now, he’s not as tall as Kobe, but look at that fade away from the right [or] left. A little shorter, but he got the Mamba mentality.”
– Metta World Peace
It is a massive compliment because Bryant is one of the greatest players and winners the NBA has ever seen. World Peace is also a bit partial as a New York native and being a Knicks fan growing up. However, the 17-year NBA veteran isn’t the only one who has made the comparison in recent weeks. It is not up to Brunson to continue that success and get another title or two before he calls it a career.
