Jalen Brunson’s 45-Point Closeout Put Him in Rare Air — and NYC’s Mayor Says It’s No Surprise

On a sun-baked Wednesday in Manhattan, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood in front of cameras and delivered what might be the most unexpected praise of this Knicks title run. It wasn’t about the ticker-tape parade logistics or the economic boost. It was about Jalen Brunson’s story — and how it mirrors the city itself.

“He’s always described in a language of ‘but’ or a language of caveat,” Mamdani said during a television interview. “He speaks to the story of New Yorkers and the city as a whole who’ve been counted out and overlooked. Instead, they show every single day that they’re worth it.”

The mayor’s comments came a day before the Knicks’ first championship parade in 53 years. New York hasn’t seen this kind of celebration since 1973, when Willis Reed and company raised the banner. Thursday’s parade will cap a Finals run that saw Brunson put up 30 or more points in four of five games against the San Antonio Spurs — including a 45-point explosion in Game 5 that sealed the series and drew comparisons to Michael Jordan.

Mamdani also pointed out a full-circle moment in the Knicks’ celebration. Brunson won the title alongside assistant coach Rick Brunson — his father — who played on the 1999 Knicks squad that lost to the Spurs in five games. “That’s a full-circle moment,” the mayor said.

The younger Brunson’s path to the top wasn’t straightforward. Drafted 33rd overall in 2018, he was constantly told he was too small. At 6-foot-1, the knock was always there: great college player, but can he lead an NBA team? Some fans doubted it until the very end. But Brunson answered every question in these Finals, and his celebrity has exploded across New York sports since.

The New York Yankees called on Brunson and teammate Josh Hart to throw out the first pitch before their Wednesday game against the Chicago White Sox — a small gesture that underscores how deeply the Knicks have recaptured the city’s imagination. Now, tens of thousands of fans will line the Canyon of Heroes for a parade that many thought might never come again.

For Mamdani, this title is about more than basketball. “Brunson speaks to the story of the city and so many New Yorkers who’ve been counted out,” he said. In a city that prides itself on resilience, the Knicks’ smallest star just became its biggest symbol.