Jalen Brunson Named 36th Captain in Knicks History Following Historic Contract

After a historic postseason run and signing one of the most team-friendly contracts in the NBA, Jalen Brunson has been named captain of the New York Knicks.

The Knicks officially announced Brunson has received the honor of being the 36th captain in franchise history.

“The New York Knicks have a deep and storied history and today we are immensely proud to add to that lineage by naming Jalen Brunson as our captain,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in the announcement. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class that he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York.”

Brunson is the first player to be designated team captain by the Knicks since Lance Thomas during the 2018-19 season.

After acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this offseason, the Knicks got Brunson to sign a four-year, $156.5 million extension in July. He would have been eligible for a five-year, $269.1 million deal if he waited to sign until next offseason.

Since joining the Knicks as a free agent in July 2022, Brunson has quickly become one of the most beloved players in franchise history. He has led the team to back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference semifinals after they went nine seasons without advancing past the first round from 2013-14 to 2021-22.

Last season, Brunson averaged career-highs in scoring average (28.7 points per game) and assists (6.7) in 77 starts. He finished fifth in MVP voting, the highest finish by a Knicks player since Carmelo Anthony in 2012-13 (third).

Brunson was even better for the Knicks during their postseason run. The 27-year-old averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in 13 games. He became the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in four consecutive playoff games.

The Knicks’ season ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals after a series of injuries to key players, including Brunson, piled up. They lost to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

Despite the disappointing finish to the 2023-24 campaign, optimism is extremely high for the Knicks going into next season. Brunson is the main reason for that hope, but he is surrounded by a terrific supporting cast that will look to get the Knicks back to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1998-99 season.