Jalen Brunson Reveals How Playing Alongside Luka Doncic Once Made Him Question Himself

However, both Brunson and Doncic entered the NBA in 2018, but their situations looked very different from the start. The Los Angeles Lakers star arrived as a top-five pick and instantly became the centerpiece of the Mavericks. 

Brunson, meanwhile, entered the league as the 33rd overall pick and spent much of his rookie season fighting for minutes in a crowded backcourt. Watching Doncic dominate so naturally forced him to reevaluate how much work it would take for him to reach the level he envisioned for himself.

Ironically, that period of uncertainty may have helped shape the player he eventually became. After leaving Dallas, the three-time NBA All-Star transformed into the face of the Knicks and one of the NBA’s most reliable playoff performers.

NBA History Waiting For Jalen Brunson In Finals vs. Spurs

As Jalen Brunson is about to enter the biggest series of his career, a unique piece of NBA history is waiting for him.

When the Knicks face the Spurs in the NBA Finals, Brunson and his father, Rick Brunson, will become the first father-son duo to represent the same franchise on basketball’s biggest stage.

For those unaware, Brunson Sr. previously appeared in the 1999 Finals as a rookie for New York, ironically against the Spurs as well. Though his role in that series was limited to just 10 seconds across the five games, as San Antonio captured the championship in a 4-1 series win.

Now, more than two decades later, his son is the new face of the franchise. Brunson has powered the Knicks throughout the postseason, averaging 26.9 points and 6.6 assists while leading New York to two commanding playoff sweeps. After years of criticism surrounding his size and draft position, the former second-round pick has developed into one of the NBA’s premier playoff guards.