Jalen Brunson just delivered the New York Knicks their first championship in 53 years, earning Finals MVP honors with a dominant 45-point outburst in Game 5. The parade is set, Alicia Keys is booked to perform, and Brunson even tossed a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium this week. But if you’re ready to crown him the greatest small guard in NBA history, former forward and podcast host Matt Barnes says not so fast.
Speaking on the All The Smoke podcast, Barnes pushed back on the growing chorus comparing Brunson to legends like Allen Iverson. “It’s tough because we’re looking at guys that have a career of work,” Barnes said. “What’s Brunson in year 6-7?” The point: longevity matters.
Barnes acknowledged the debate is real — just premature. He pointed to Iverson’s era as a different beast entirely. “A.I.’s era was a 7-footer in the paint every night. You have to score over him. Plus, the two guys who are guarding you.” Context, Barnes argues, separates stat lines from legacy.
Brunson’s 2026 Finals run was historically efficient. Across five games against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, he averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 42.1% from the field and 38.9% from deep. It was a signature title performance that instantly vaults him into the conversation. But Barnes notes Iverson’s lone Finals appearance in 2001 came against Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers dynasty — a mountain few guards could scale alone.
The Knicks faithful may disagree, and the debate is only getting louder. Brunson, still in his prime with roughly seven seasons under his belt, has time to stack achievements. Barnes doesn’t dismiss the possibility — just the timing. “He’s not there yet,” Barnes said, “but the conversation is just getting started.”
For now, New York will celebrate. The championship parade is set for Thursday, and Brunson’s place in franchise lore is secure. Whether he climbs the all-time small-guard list will depend on the next act.
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