Jalen Brunson rejects ‘King of New York’ nickname

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has stated he will never refer to himself as the ‘King of New York,’ despite the moniker being used by fans and city officials. Following his performance in the 2026 NBA Finals, where he earned Finals MVP honors and led the franchise to its first championship in over 50 years, the nickname gained significant traction.

During an appearance on the ‘Road Trippin’ podcast, Brunson explained that adopting such a title would appear self-centered and arrogant. While New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani officially used the label during a city-sponsored event in August, Brunson expressed a preference for humility and maintaining focus on the team’s upcoming title defense.

Brunson’s championship-winning season included averaging 32.6 points and 4.6 assists during the Finals series, highlighted by a 45-point performance in the clinching Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs.