From being a Dallas Mavericks second-round selection to becoming an All-Star and legitimate leader of the rising New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson has gone through a lot.
The left-handed guard has only been in the NBA for six seasons, but he has been around the league since he was a little child, growing up alongside his father, former NBA guard Rick Brunson.
The older Brunson was an NBA backup point guard for eight different teams throughout his playing career. Frequently accompanying his father to his games, Jalen had the opportunity to meet the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), Michael Jordan, during a game versus the Washington Wizards.
Refused to let MJ autograph his jersey
The All-Star guard, who was then playing for the Wizards, spoke from “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” recounting his encounter with the legendary Chicago Bulls player. Jordan was introduced to him by his father following the game.
His Airness volunteered to sign Jalen’s Wizards jersey after noticing that he was wearing it. But Jaleen declined, much to the amazement of both MJ and everyone else in the locker room. He said,
“He said, ‘Hey, you have my jersey, do you want me to sign it?’ I said, ‘Nah, you’ll mess it up,’”
“The whole locker was going crazy, laughing.”
On a part of the interview that didn't make it to air on The Tonight Show, Jalen Brunson shared a story when his dad took him to meet Michael Jordan & when he offered to sign the Jordan jersey he was wearing as a kid, he declined because he'd "mess it up" 🤣
(via @FallonTonight) pic.twitter.com/4iMuPib7Lh
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 10, 2024
After playing the Mavericks for several seasons as a backup playmaker, Brunson emerged from Luka Doncic’s shadow to become a star in one of the hardest places to play, New York City.
