Jalen Brunson celebration explained for New York Knicks and NBA fans

It didn't take long for NYC to catch on to Jalen Brunson's iconic three-point celebration with the New York Knicks. In the 2023 playoffs, fans wondered what it meant and questioned its origin.

The celebration started in the 2022 playoffs when Brunson was with the Mavericks, and it's since evolved. In March, New York Post's Stefan Bondy wrote that the point guard changed the celebration after input from his mother:

“It’s constantly used on ads. Forget what game it was used, but it was early in the season last year my first year here,” Brunson said. “My mom looked at me and said, ‘Ehh, not a good look.’ “So, I switched it up a little bit.”

What is Jalen Brunson's Knicks celebration and where did it come from?

In a postgame interview in April 2023, Lisa Salters asked the question that every fan was wondering. She asked Brunson what his celebration is and where it came from, but the guard told her, "Don't worry about it." He apologized to Salters for coming off a "little arrogant."

In the 12+ months since then, Brunson hasn't explicitly said what the celebration means, which could be because it doesn't mean anything significant. Or, he wants to keep the meaning to himself. It seems like it's simply a celebration that's evolved. It's caught on because Brunson's in New York and plays for the Knicks. He's the Captain, for crying out loud!

Last season, Baylor freshman Ja'Kobe Walter did the Brunson celebration after hitting a three in a 28-point performance. Walter scored the most points in a debut for a Baylor freshman. It's fitting that he used Brunson's celebration, considering the Knicks guard had one of the best collegiate careers in history.

The celebration has even left the basketball realm.

Even Brunson haters agree that it's a good celebration.

Hopefully, there will be plenty of Brunson celebrations to go around in 2024-25.