Aaron Simpson here with SimpsonElite Media, I was able to catch up with Jalen Brunson who joined the New York Knicks in the offseason. Brunson is looking to help build the franchise to bring its excitement back to Madsion Square Garden. Brunson had a great offseason with playing with teammates in the Nike Pro Am, Rumph Classic, and playing at well known LifeTime Sky in New York alongside J Cole. Jalen Brunson had some spare time in his day and I was able to ask him a few questions about the upcoming season, his music choice and more!
1. Did you see yourself being a max player in year 5? Can you describe the hours and work you put in the summer to be in this position?
Brunson- "I see myself being the best player I can be and strive for that every time I step on the court. I put in the work as often as I can throughout the summer and it leads me to be confident when I play in games. My confidence comes from my work ethic."
2. What did Jason Kidd do for your play style? Is he a player coach and what is special about Kidd coaching style?
Brunson- "Coach Kidd enabled me to be myself. He coached me to be better and expected the best of me. Whenever he was able to teach me how to better he jumped at the opportunity and I responded."
3. Pick up ball with JCOLE, talk about that experience and the environment surrounding that gym, it’s become a very focal point in summer runs for NBA talent.
Brunson- "Playing with JCole was a pretty cool experience. The gym has a knack for bringing talent around to play some good summer basketball."
4. Seeing how you played a few summer pick up games with Julius Randle and Obi, how important is getting that team camaraderie early before the season start?
Brunson-"Playing with some of my teammates this summer was key to jumpstarting our chemistry before training camp started."
5. Everyone talks about contract you received and talk about expectations for you and your team, how do you block out the noise and what are YOUR expectations for this season?
Brunson-"I focus on myself and my goals. I have team goals and individual goals that I try to acheive, so any publicity good or bad can steer you off your path. Keep your routine and keep your mindset."
6. Other than Justin Bieber LOL, what other music are you listening to before games?
Brunson- "Of course JB, but I listen to Drake and Jay-Z. I love to switch it up time to time but I gravitate towards those artists."
7. Being the focal point of a big time franchise like the Knicks and playing point guard FULL time, what are some things in your game or routine that you will have to change or NOT change to gear up for a full 82 game season?
Brunson-"My routine will stay the same. My role may change or I have to add certain things to my routine but I keep it relatively the same."
8. How do you feel about the in season tournament?
Brunson-" I think the in season tournament can be great for the game and for the fans to enjoy another aspect of the NBA. "
9. Walk us through that Jazz Series, what did you see or what did the defense give you that made you so effective in that series, and how amazing was it to shine in the biggest moment in basketaball, in the playoffs
Brunson-"During the Jazz Series, Coach Kidd had a game plan and we stuck to it. We wanted to play together, put each other in situations where we could succeed and stick to it. We never lost confidence and he made sure we didn’t."
10. With yourself, Julius, Obi, Barrett, Evan, Quickely and Drose, where do you guys stack in the East?
Brunson-"We expect a lot from each other most importantly, we want to be the best team we can be by the end of the year. That will involve us being accountable and being mentally strong."
11. With you being the focal point on the offensive end, does anything change for you? Are you more aggressive? Getting teammates involved? Or nothing changes?
Brunson-"Nothing changes for me. I am going to be me, the same person I always have been."
12. Your first playoff experience didn’t end the way you wanted but your play was tremendous. Do be in the conversation of “Total points in their first two playoff game starts”. It is you at 65points, Lebron at 58 points and JORDAN at 53 points. How does it feel to be mentioned amongst the greats?
Brunson-"That’s an impressive stat to be apart of, but I’d rather be a champion."
You've heard it here first on SimpsonElite Media, Jalen Brunson isn't the kind of guy who is driven off individual accolades, its clear that he wants more, he wants a championship. Brunson has won on all levels except the NBA, will Brunson get an opportunity to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy? Stay tuned!