Jalen Marquis Brunson (born August 31, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the NBA. He is the son of former NBA guard Rick Brunson and was selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
Brunson played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, earning national player of the year honors as a junior and winning two national championships. He also participated in the 2015 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
๐ High School Career
Brunson led Stevenson to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 4A championship. He won Illinois Mr. Basketball and earned the MVP of the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.
As a freshman, Brunson was an AllโLake County honorable mention selection in 2012. During his sophomore season, Stevenson finished with a 29โ5 record after a 58โ40 loss in the championship game.
On February 21, 2014, junior Brunson scored 57 points in a double overtime victory over Lake Forest High School. On March 21, Brunson set the IHSA playoff single game scoring record by scoring 56 points in a 75โ68 state playoff semifinal loss.
Brunson averaged 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.9 steals for a Stevenson team that finished the season with a 32โ2 record. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Illinois as a junior.
On September 10, Brunson committed to Villanova. At the time of his decision, he was ranked as the number one point guard in the national class of 2015 by Scout.com.
On January 28, he was named to the 2015 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game roster. On March 20, he repeated as Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year.
Brunson led Stevenson to the IHSA final four for a third consecutive time, winning the state championship with a 57โ40 victory over Normal Community High School. Following the season, he won Illinois Mr. Basketball with 552 points and 99 of the 132 first place votes.
Brunson finished his senior season with averages of 23.3 points, 5.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. He was a first-team Parade All-American and a third-team USA Today All-USA high school basketball team selection.
๐ College Career at Villanova
Brunson was a selection to the 20-man Bob Cousy Award preseason watchlist. He was also selected as the 2015โ16 Big East Conference Preseason Freshman of the Year by the conference coaches.
Brunson opened the season in the starting lineup with 12 points and 4 assists against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on November 13. On December 28, he posted a then career-high 22 points against Penn.
Following the 2015โ16 Big East season, he was a unanimous Big East All-Freshman Team selection. The 2015โ16 Wildcats won the championship game of the tournament by defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 77โ74, with Brunson as a starter.
๐ NBA Career
Brunson played four years for the Mavericks. After helping them reach the Western Conference finals, he signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2022.
With the Knicks, he became an NBA All-Star and received an All-NBA Team selection for the first time in 2024. He set the NBA record for most three-point shots made in a half without a miss (8) and tied the NBA record for most three-point shots made in a single game without a miss (9).
In 2024โ25, he led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. In 2025โ26, he led them to their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years and was named the Eastern Conference finals MVP.
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ Personal Background
Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Brunson was raised in southern New Jersey until sixth grade. He is the son of Rick and Sandra Brunson and has a sister Erica.
His parents met at Temple University where Rick played for the basketball team and Sandra played volleyball. The family first settled in Cherry Hill, New Jersey but moved seven times before settling in Lincolnshire, Illinois in 2010.
As a youth, he spent time in NBA locker rooms such as when his father played for the Knicks where his future head coach Tom Thibodeau was serving as an assistant coach. Brunson, like his father, is a left-handed basketball player.
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 1996 | NBA Draft | 33rd overall, 2018 |
| College | Villanova Wildcats | NBA Teams | Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks |
| High School | Stevenson High School | All-Star | NBA All-Star (2024) |
| National Championships | 2 (college) | Illinois Mr. Basketball | 2015 |