Jalen Brunson has solidified his legacy as a key player for the New York Knicks after an astounding performance in the 2026 NBA Finals, where he led his team to victory over the San Antonio Spurs in five games. The climax of this series came on Saturday night, as Brunson scored 45 points in a nail-biting 94-90 win, marking him as the first player since Michael Jordan in 1998 to achieve this milestone in a close-out game on the road.

Brunson's dominance in the fourth quarter was pivotal, as he scored 15 points despite battling against Victor Wembanyama, a towering 7-foot-4 opponent, while nursing a rolled ankle. His performance earned him the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award with a unanimous vote, placing him among the basketball elite.

This achievement makes Brunson just the eighth player in history to win both an NCAA championship and an NBA Finals MVP, following legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Notably, he holds franchise records for:

• Most 30-point games in the NBA Finals (four)
• Most points in an NBA Finals game (45 points)
• Highest scoring average in the Finals by a point guard (32.6 points)

Brunson's leadership propelled the Knicks to their first NBA title in 53 years, achieving a remarkable 15-1 record in their last 16 postseason games and the second-longest playoff winning streak (14 games). Knicks coach Mike Brown praised Brunson's resilience and skill, stating, "He is 'Him.' He is an MVP candidate... one of the toughest (motherf---ers) I've been around." With this victory, the Knicks also made history as the first franchise to win the NBA treble: the NBA Finals, conference championship, and NBA Cup.