Kings Guard Recalls Brutal Knicks' Jalen Brunson Memory

Keon Ellis was on the wrong end of one of Jalen Brunson's most viral plays with the New York Knicks to date.

Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Keon Ellis missed one of Jalen Brunson's finest plays with the New York Knicks to date.

Ellis, set to enter his third season with the Sacramento Kings, was the unfortunate straight man in Brunson's on-court trickery: during a March showdown between New York and Sacramento, Ellis drew Brunson duty in the late stages of a close game. Brunson gestured to his left to seemingly set a pick but he instead sped by Ellis, who turned to anticipate the pick that never came, for the de facto dagger of a 98-91 Knicks victory..

To his credit, Ellis has taken the incident in stride, recalling his hoodwinking in an interview with Kings content creators Deuce Mason and Morgan Ragan.

"People don't realize I was on his [butt] ... until that play," Ellis recalled. "That's the one everyone remembers. I think I blocked him like twice, I got his number right now,. Then that happened and I'm just like, bro, that is sick. I'm terrible. I f*****g suck. I'm trash."

Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Ellis was credited with one block that night, albeit a rejection of Alec Burks. He was placed on Brunson when the shorthanded Knicks visited Golden 1 Center and did what he could to neutralize Manhattan's franchise face.

Despite Ellis' efforts, Brunson scorched Sacramento for 42 points on 17-of-28 from the field, capping it off with his late-game trickery. Ellis said he was anticipating a switch on a screen ... but the former never came.

"He kind of pointed and I look and I see nothing at all and I'm like 'oh s***,'" Ellis said with a laugh. "It was crazy, yeah, I was mad. I was really just more mad because I was really on him and then he got that one."

Ellis' first chance for revenge will come later this winter, as the Kings visit Madison Square Garden on Jan. 25.

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