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Jalen Brunson Thankful for Knicks Captaincy

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is excited to be the team captain.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is wearing the captain hat for the first time in his career, and it's a title he doesn't take lightly.

However, he hopes that being the captain will help lead to another promotion someday down the line.

“I didn’t get emotional, but I was really thankful and appreciative to see such champions pulling for me," Brunson said h/t Posting and Toasting. "I just know that I’ve got to go out there and help my team win so that hopefully, I’ll have that champion title too one day.”

The Knicks respond well to Brunson, as evidenced by his first two seasons with the team. The experiences he had during those first two years, along with several before he joined the Knicks, have prepared him for this moment.

“My parents raised me to be a leader," Brunson said. "I wasn’t doing the stuff I was doing to be named captain; I was doing it to try to help my team win games. I worked hard and led by example."

Not every team in the NBA gives away an official "captain" title. It's only reserved for special players who know how to lead a group of men, and Brunson is certainly deserving of that title.

Even though he has the new captain role, not much will change with Brunson and the Knicks. It will be business as usual, and he is going to keep doing what he has been doing.

“You’ve got to know how to talk to certain people, because everyone has a different reaction to different leadership styles," Brunson said. "It’s my job to understand different temperaments, and with my teammates, especially in the heat of battle, emotions can be high, so you have to understand what’s going on and how to manage those different temperaments. I’m not that person who’s going to go out there and yell and scream and have everyone think, ‘He just wants to be in control.’ That’s not me. I just want everyone to be on the same page, and now, I know my audience.”

Brunson and the Knicks are back in action tonight as they play against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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