The NBA Finals ended, and Jalen Brunson didn’t just lift the trophy — he got a coronation from Westeros itself.
The New York Knicks point guard dropped 45 points on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5, clinching the franchise’s first championship in 53 years and earning unanimous Finals MVP honors. Then the official Game of Thrones Twitter account anointed him with a medieval title fit for the Iron Throne.
“Jalen Brunson, First of His Name, Breaker of Double Teams, King of New York, Most Valuable Player,” the account posted on June 14, 2026.
Even the House of the Dragon account joined the tribute, calling Brunson “The Prince That Was Promised” — a reference to the prophesied savior in the series.
The social media moment capped a playoff run that transformed Brunson from a polarizing free-agent signing into a New York legend. He averaged over 30 points in four of the five Finals games, and his 45-point closeout performance placed him in rare company alongside Michael Jordan and Giannis Antetokounmpo for most points in a series-clinching win.
Game 5 itself was a microcosm of the Knicks’ season. They trailed by 16 points in the third quarter at Frost Bank Center, with Karl-Anthony Towns battling foul trouble and the bench struggling to score. Brunson carried the scoring load on his own, erasing the deficit and sealing the title on the road.
His father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, played on the 1999 New York team that lost the Finals to the Spurs in five games. Jalen Brunson wasn’t even born when the Knicks last won it all in 1973. Now he’s the face of a championship that ended the longest drought in franchise history.
The coronation has sparked GOAT debates among Knicks fans and analysts. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins has already argued Brunson belongs in the conversation for the franchise’s greatest player. The Game of Thrones tribute, however tongue-in-cheek, reflects a broader truth: New York has its king.
“Brace yourself, winter is coming” might not have been included in the tweet, but for Spurs fans and the rest of the league, a long, cold offseason just began.
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