Jalen Brunson has been one of the most talked-about players in the NBA this season, and not always for the right reasons. A fiery national media debate has reignited questions about his ceiling as a franchise cornerstone.
Is he truly built to carry a team? Or is New York simply overrating one of its own? Here’s a full breakdown of the debate.
The debate kicked off when analyst Colin Cowherd delivered a blunt verdict on Brunson’s role in the league.
“Jalen Brunson’s very good. He’s not great. He’s not that guy,” Cowherd said. “On a great team, a two. On a great team, a three. But I think New York is convinced he’s one of the best Knicks of all time.”
Cowherd showed the current playoff situation – Wembanyama, Jokic, Anthony Edwards, LeBron, Tatum, and Brown – as evidence that Brunson is just not at that level of discussion in terms of elite players.
He also wondered whether the Knicks are capable of beating Boston or even Detroit.
Nick Wright Pushes Back on the Knicks’ Case, But Not Fully
Analyst Nick Wright partially defended Brunson but acknowledged his limitations.
“There is a ceiling on a player his size — that’s just the fact of the matter,” Wright said. “There are two small players ever who have led teams to championships — Isaiah Thomas and Steph Curry. And they’re both bigger than Jalen Brunson.”
Wright did offer some nuance, though: “I think you could be a great team and him be the second-best player. Probably really hard for him to be the best player and you win a championship — unless you fill out the rest of the roster perfectly.”
It’s a fair point, size and history are real factors. But the critics are missing one massive piece of the picture.
The Knicks Have Proof: NBA Cup Champions
GettyJalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks
In December 2025, Brunson was the leading figure in the New York Knicks’ clinching of the Emirates NBA Cup title, earning himself the NBA Cup MVP award in Las Vegas.
He was not there just to participate; he dominated the game at the critical moment, motivating the Knicks to a comeback victory over the Spurs in the final.
This is not how a role player performs. This is how a franchise guy plays when given the biggest stage.
This season, Brunson is averaging 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. He leads the Knicks with 26 thirty-point games this season — Karl-Anthony Towns is next with just 7. In February, Brunson dropped 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists in a double-overtime thriller against the Nuggets, scoring 10 of those points in 2OT alone.
He also won the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year award, collecting 70 of 100 first-place votes — more than Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry combined.
Brunson is currently putting up 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game this year. He is first among the Knicks with a whopping 24 games of scoring 30 points — the next player, Karl-Anthony Towns, has only 7. Last month, Brunson almost had a triple-double with 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists in a double-overtime thriller against the Nuggets; in fact, 10 of his points came during the 2OT alone.
Apart from that, he was also the winner of the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.
Cowherd isn’t entirely wrong. Brunson isn’t in the Wembanyama or Jokic tier. But calling him “not that guy” while ignoring an NBA Cup MVP, a Clutch Player of the Year award, and 26 points per game is a stretch.
Knicks Star Jalen Brunson Hit With Brutal National Media Verdict