Jalen Brunson's greatest play wasn't on the court
A $113 million lesson in leadership
When the New York Knicks ended the NBA Finals and their 53-year-long quest for a championship Saturday, there was only one player in the spotlight: Knicks captain Jalen Brunson.
On several levels, Brunson offered lessons in leadership that could be applied to any team, whether in sports, business or government.
For one thing, he personally took charge on the court, providing the offense that enabled the Knicks to come from behind in the closing minutes of a 94-90 game. He scored 45 points, including making 13 of his 15 free throws and 4 of his 7 shots from 3-point range.
The Knicks could have lost the game and still had either Game 6 or 7 to secure a championship. But Brunson played as if defeat was not an option: “I woke up this morning, not wanting to have to go home and play another game,” he said on Inside the NBA.
Yet his biggest contribution to the team’s victory happened on July 12, 2024. On that day, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN wrote, “In a largely unprecedented financial concession to give roster flexibility to a contending franchise, New York Knicks All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension -- $113 million less guaranteed than he is eligible to sign for a year from now -- his agent, Sam Rose of CAA, told ESPN on Friday.”
The deal would cost Brunson $37.1 million over the succeeding three years.
Who leaves that kind of money on the table in 2020s America?
Brunson’s move enabled the Knicks to sign other strong players without hitting a salary cap that would have severely penalized the team and sharply reduced their chances of winning a championship. Other players, including Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and LeBron James, have agreed to such moves, but none with such a large amount of money foregone, ESPN reported.
And of course, Brunson’s move was not entirely self-sacrificing. It could pay off big time if he remains healthy. He could make as much as $323 million in a 2028 contract extension, or $418 million in 2029.
There are a couple of family connections involved: Brunson’s agent Sam Rose is the son of Leon Rose, who was once Brunson’s own agent and is now president of the Knicks. Brunson’s father is Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson.
Following Saturday’s win, the Brunsons appeared side-by-side on Inside the NBA.
Asked by Charles Barkley if he had foreseen his son’s epic performance, Rick Brunson said he thought Jalen would be “a good player,” but not this kind of superstar.
Jalen interjected, “I’ll be lying to you if I say that I saw this as well. But what he instilled in me as a kid. Like you never know what’s going to happen if you just continue to work hard. You never know when you focus on just winning — you’re not focusing on yourself, you’re not focusing on the individual accolades that you can get…”
“I actually believe this thing, I believe it’s all about the team, it’s all about our success.”
“If we win, everyone eats.”
Great column. I missed that father-son interview with Barkley. What a wonderful thing to say about what he learned from his father. A real Father’s Day gift. It’s sometimes easy to forget how much super talented (and mega-rich) athletes owe their success to relationships with parents, or parent-figures. Also, how much their success is built on such iron discipline and a capacity for self-denial. Obviously, extreme rare qualities.
Looks like "everyone" will be eating at the White House. Knicks owner James Dolan accepted an invitation from his friend of 30 years, the President. Other NBA stars have refused similar offers. Brunson may face a decision more difficult than a four-year extension. Thanks, Rich, for another thoughtful piece.