Jalen Brunson has been crucial to the New York Knicks’ success in recent years. The 27-year-old star player, who was recently praised by a former NBA champion, had a great season for the Knicks in the 2023-24 NBA season. However, his injuries made his efforts fall short as the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals of the playoffs. Despite having outstanding skills on the court, Brunson didn’t get a chance to play against a legendary player.
On Thursday, the official NBA account on X shared a video of Jalen Brunson reacting to the late Kobe Bryant’s legendary performances during a livestream hosted by the NBA and Nike. In the video, the two-time NCAA champion delved into Bryant’s iconic 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, engaging in an insightful discussion with hosts Jamirsen Green and Alexis Morgan.
When asked about his game plan and how he would try to stop Bryant if he had played in that game, instead of offering a strategy to stop Bryant from scoring, Brunson hilariously suggested calling a timeout and urging the coach to substitute someone else for him.
“How would I stop Kobe? Me, personally, I would call timeout and tell the coach to put someone else on him. I know my limitations, for sure.” Brunson said.
Brunson never had the opportunity to play against Bryant in his professional career; however, the 27-year-old star is one of the players who was a constant fan of the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
Brunson Sparks Debate: Is a Legends List Complete Without Kobe Bryant?
During the live stream hosted by the NBA and Nike, Brunson revealed his top 5 best NBA players ever. However, before naming the athletes, the Knicks point guard mentioned that a list of all-time greats without the name Kobe Bryant is worthless.
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“When people talk about the top 5 basketball players of all time, if someone doesn’t mention Kobe, do you listen to the rest of the argument? Nope, I don’t. If Kobe’s not mentioned, there’s no point in having that conversation. MJ, Bron, Kobe, obviously. The next two for me are tough. I never saw Wilt (Chamberlain) play. I never saw these greats. I didn’t live through that.” Brunson said.
Meanwhile, Brunson is preparing for the NBA’s upcoming season, starting October 22. The Knicks will play the defending champions Boston Celtics in the opening night. Brunson, who averaged 28.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 77 games last season, will be eager to perform well this season.
Also Read: VIDEO: Jalen Brunson Gets Real On Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant’s Influence On Players And Fans
