Jalen Brunson Joins Inside the NBA, Talks First All-Star Appearance

Jalen Brunson Joins Inside the NBA, Talks First All-Star Appearance

I guess this is feeling real now but you’re an Allstar you’re an Indianapolis and let’s go yeah it’s feeling real that was a that was a very warm welcome thank you guys probably a warmer one than you get when you than when you play here oh yeah

Uh I’ll say this uh Indiana fans yo y’all are y’all are real passionate man y got y’all are a great fan base I’ll give you that y a great fan base hey the the night that you were announced as a reserve and Kenny did the honors you

Guys had a game that night so how did that play out were you able to to see that before you took the floor or or how were you made aware that you were an Allstar uh I didn’t so the TV was on in the other room I I didn’t watch it I was

Uh trying to get my mind right for the game and um yeah we ran out on the court and now I started hearing a couple fans yelling some stuff and then I saw my dad walk out and he like looked at me and nodded so then um that’s when I really knew so

Uh that was that was a good moment for us speaking of your father I I recently saw how he trained you and how he you know prepared you for this moment right here how excited was he when you was announced as an Allstar I I think he was excited he

Didn’t show me how how excited he was but uh I always hear the Snippets my mom when he goes back uh home with her and you I just knew that deep down he he was he was feeling happy but uh I mean we had a game that day so he was we were

Locked in but uh I know he’s happy well let me give you let me give a a commentary then because I had to pleasure guys of watching him when he was in high school playing with the MC Irvin fire and I us just sitting next to

Your dad in the stands when you were like 9th 10th 11th 12th grade and and he was always so praising about what would could become and I used to watch you I’m not going to lie I used to watch you and go man how does a guy with that physical

Ability you know he doesn’t have the genetics of the of Shaq or Charles or whatever just every time I see him he wins I’m like all right gets to college Villanova you win national championship 2016 I mean against North Carolina so I’m like Scott

All he does is win so then he goes and then when the draft comes and you go in the second round I’m like man maybe they see what I saw maybe he just physically isn’t and then you all you do is win so this guy is the most remarkable winner

Since I’ve seen you in in in high school every year I’ve seen you you’ve won You’ won from the ebl circuit you won in high school you state champion college and I predicted I wrote it now New York and Boston in the Eastern Conference Final with Indiana knocking on the door next

Year well uh was there a question in there somewhere k no that was a comment oh okay appr about how proud his dad is that was a was you know Jaylen we’re here in Indianapolis and these are tremendous fans and tremendous fans but in my day playing in New York

Against Patrick yug ando’s guys when the Garden on fire is nothing like it nothing like it as a guy like you had played there all these years now you the start there what’s it like to play in New York when the when the crowd is on fire um there’s no other place I’d

Rather play that place is unbelievable uh when it’s when it’s rocking now when it’s the fourth quarter I mean you just you feel the energy you feel the electricity in that Arena um there’s just no other better place to play sports not Al basketball

Sports you know when you I I will ask a question what was the key hey we don’t go to 1 2 3 4 know we we we we already got a question in but we talk about your rise to Excellence in the NBA what was the key moment that made the transition

When we saw you in in Dallas then jump to New York and really take that Next Step what are the key things that happened and made it happen for you um I think the key moments for me really is just every day you’re just you’re taking it step by step it it wasn’t

Really like obviously the playoffs in Dallas that was a huge opportunity but um I mean every day I work and work and like like I’m trying to be the best player I could be knowing my role when I was in Dallas and then obviously when I

Got to New York I knew my role would be increased a little bit so um I was always working and having that mindset no matter when I was on the court and um obviously when opportunity came knocking I’ll be ready for it but uh my mindset

First is be a good teammate and uh play my role to Perfection and uh but keep working as hard as I can to be the best way I can be hey guys do me a favor can you put that stat back up there I mean this Jaylen I know you

Playing it is fun and plus it’s fun watching the vov I mean nework it’s unbelievable first of all you’re playing great look at this man yeah those guys that that’s a come on man that’s an incredible that that is crazy right there of God hey man that’s that’s

Incredible right there to be on the list with those three guys man cuz all three of those guys in the Hall of Fame and for you to be on that list that man that tells how how great you’re playing so Jaylen right now you guys are in the

Fourth spot so what do you think you guys need to do to you know make Kenny’s prediction come true you guys versus the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals uh most importantly get healthy uh get everyone back now 100% um not be complacent now I think I think what made

Us really hungry last year is everyone kind of kept knocking us a little bit saying just we’re good but I don’t know we have it but uh I think for us recently we’ve been getting a lot of publicity now we’ve been playing well uh to this day but uh we just can’t be

Complacent we can’t be saf what we’ve done six I mean um 2/3 of the way through the season you now we got to continue to keep working just have that mindset we’re hungry every single step of that you you talk about getting healthy what’s the prognosis for Julius and OG

I’m going use a famous tibs line you’re going to have to ask medical there you go good answer hey I want to go back several years so you grow up with a with a dad who’s playing in the league yeah uh but for some of

His career you were just a you were just really small I guess you were probably N9 or 10 when he retired I guess I was 10 but what were your best what were your best memories you know going to the gym with him what did he what was his

Best uh advice for you at that age as an NBA player I would say when I was younger uh watching my dad know work um consistently it was really cool I got to see him play I got to see him work out on his game got to see him lift I got

Went to go ride my bike around the track while he ran and so I got to see all that at such a at such a young age but not really understanding why he’s working so hard right and so as I got older and wanted to play in the NBA um

My dad started the training and I realized man like this dude used to work this hard and he was on eight nine unguaranteed contracts and in the NBA for 9 years and um as I got older I knew I had to work twice as hard just to be

Able to get there so just seeing that that’s that was my biggest takeway you’re a much better player than Rick come on Rick you know he gave it to hey Rick you were supposed to be a Defender and a playmaker he would your son would

Give it to you your son would give it to you no disrespect Rick Gil this the best player in the family right here hey you were in the you were in the three-point uh contest as well so uh we take a look at the field here and and you’re one of

These eight and I mean have you have you been shooting off racks or anything like that are are you a a couple times a couple times yeah um I’ll be ready to go I’ll be ready to go my focus I love Julius my focus is just to beat his

Score from last year that was terrible that was terrible I love you je but I got to beat that that’s that’s my only focus that’s my only focus you know as you as you come into your first first Allstar what is the one thing that you’re most looking forward

To I don’t know I told like I told myself in the NB when I when I’m in the league that I would never come here unless I was invited so um no matter what no no matter what the situation was like I was going to come to All-Star

When I was an All-Star and um never really told anybody that I kind of kept it to myself but uh I think just finally being here and uh holding my word to that that’s special to me so I’m I’m I’m excited about that well have you the

Worst thing about the allstar game as as a player have you got the price tag on those tickets yet and how many people did you bring yeah I got the price tag yeah that’s uh you have to pay chuck oh yeah you have to pay for tickets not

Me I don’t have that luxury so I got to pay for mine I had to pay for mine too and how many how many folks pay for real Chuck yeah I think about 10 I think about 10 that’s a big number man I hope you have a great uh a great Saturday a

Threo Sunday in your first allar thank you so much thank you thank you oh you look at me that’s what I’m talking about man let’s just get the show on the road that’s what I’m talking about come on man see I was going to

Bring it up but I mean no man I was looking at that man like let me go home she’s a maniac we came back with Team Redemption the next year though team Redemption

Jalen Brunson joined Inside the NBA ahead of 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend to talk what it means to make his first All-Star Team, why he loves playing in New York for the Knicks, his dad Rick’s impact, and more.

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