The New York Knicks have officially named their 36th captain in franchise history, and former Villanova coach Jay Wright is fully behind their pick. Of course, former Wildcat Jalen Brunson received the honors.
Wright sounded off on Brunson's attitude, via NJ.com's Adam Zagoria.
“@CoachJayWright on Jalen Brunson,” Zagoria reported. “‘This is a role that he takes seriously. He cherishes the responsibility and he respects the great Knicks' captains that came before him. He will also gladly pass this title on one day and hope to groom the next captain.'”
Brunson left $113 million on the table by signing his max extension with the club this summer instead of next year, an unprecedented decision that gives New York salary cap flexibility for several years. The two-time NCAA champion's commitment to winning comes as no surprise to his college coach, via Zagoria.
“I know this means a lot to him,” Wright said. “He naturally takes responsibility for the team’s psyche as the point guard. When he became the leading scorer he knew that came with the added responsibility of thinking of the rest of the team even more.”
Brunson is the Knicks' first team captain since Lance Thomas in 2018-19, and the 18th guard to get the title in franchise history. The 2024 NBA All-Star joins fellow club legends like Willis Reed, Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, and Amar'e Stoudemire in New York's captaincy history.
Will Wright's predictions about Brunson come true?
Jalen Brunson will continue pouring his heart and soul into the Knicks
Brunson has already vaulted up New York's all-time great ranks through just two seasons, as his two playoff series wins already best Marbury, Anthony, and Stoudemire. The 27-year-old could have led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 1999-2000 last season, but the team got decimated by injuries, including his broken hand in Game 7 of the second round.
Now, though, New York's future looks even brighter. The addition of Mikal Bridges and the extension of OG Anunoby could give the team the best defense in the league, in addition to having two All-Stars in Brunson and Julius Randle leading the scoring charge. With Bridges also rumored to be considering a pay cut, the Knicks will be in prime position to add another star sometime over the next few seasons.
New York's recent renaissance started with Randle's arrival, but Brunson has taken the team to levels that no one saw coming. Now, the only mission left is to finish the job.
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