Jalen Brunson named NY Knicks captain after contract extension this summer

Now it’s official.

The Knicks named Brunson the 36th captain in franchise history, the team announced Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Brunson, an All-Star selection who led the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs this season, is the franchise’s first captain since Lance Thomas in 2019.

“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 a statement.

“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 agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension in July, which is $113 million less guaranteed than he would have been eligible to sign next year, according to multiple reports.