Repeating as champion isn’t easy in any sport. That’s been particularly true in the NBA, where there have been eight different champions in the last eight years.
Jalen Brunson is currently the King of New York after being named Finals MVP and leading the New York Knicks to their first championship in 53 years. The whole team has been treated like royalty. They could rest on their laurels, knowing they brought a long-starved fan base a championship.
That certainly doesn’t seem to be the case, though. Recently, Brunson was a guest on the Road Trippin’ podcast, where Kendrick Perkins spoke to him about the difficulties faced during the year after winning a championship. Brunson responded:
“It’s important for us to come into this season to be like, ‘Alright, that’s over with.’ We don’t want to speak of the trophy, we don’t want to think about the trophy, we don’t want to see the trophy. We want to come in with the same mindset, if not a tougher mindset than we had… We’re getting to that point where we’re saying the right things, and now it's time that once we get there, can we do the right things? It’s all about our actions, but it ain’t going to be easy.”
Brunson has already shown through his actions that he will do more than just talk about wanting the Knicks to succeed.
Fans know Brunson’s mindset should never be questioned
Despite being the reigning NBA champions and bringing back the majority of last season’s roster, the Knicks are not the favorites to win it all again. Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have shorter odds, and some sportsbooks also list the Philadelphia 76ers as bigger favorites.
The last team to go back-to-back in the NBA was the Golden State Warriors, who won in 2017 and 2018. No NBA champion from 2019 to 2025 even returned to the NBA Finals the following year.
So, it will certainly be a challenge for the Knicks to reach the mountaintop once again. Brunson’s words aren’t empty, though. He has already proven that his actions are for the good of the team.
In the 2024 offseason, Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension with New York. If the now-30-year-old had waited just one year, he could have agreed to a much larger five-year, $269 million contract. Sacrificing money helped keep an elite team around Brunson—one that ended the Knicks’ championship drought.
Playing through a wrist injury on his shooting hand during the playoffs, which required surgery in the offseason, also further demonstrates Brunson’s determination to do whatever it takes.
Brunson is certainly correct in stating that it won’t be easy. The Eastern Conference is as loaded as it has been in decades. The Thunder and Spurs are young teams that could be among the top teams for many years.
It’s already clear that Brunson’s actions demonstrate that he is focused only on what is best for the team. As an excellent leader, everyone else will follow suit.
What's better than winning a championship? Winning two. Brunson already knows this from his time at Villanova.
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