Kendrick Perkins Drops Bold Jalen Brunson Claim After NBA Finals Victory
For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are NBA champions.
On Saturday, the Knicks defeated the Spurs, 94-90, in Game 5 to end the series and send the city of New York into pure celebration mode.
Jalen Brunson led the way for the Knicks all season long, and that continued on the biggest stage.
Brunson finished with 45 points on 14-of-27 from the field en route to winning the NBA Finals MVP award.
Brunson had 30 or more points in four of the five NBA Finals games, including 36 in the Game 4 win in San Antonio.
On Monday, former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins had a bold claim, even calling Brunson the "greatest Knick ever."
"When we talk about Jalen Brunson and what he accomplished, he cemented himself as the greatest Knick ever," Perkins said on "First Take."
Perkins then added that Brunson "cemented himself" as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a top-five player in the NBA.
"[Jalen Brunson] cemented himself as the greatest New York Knick ever. ... First-ballot Hall of Famer ... a top-five player in this league."
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 15, 2026
-@KendrickPerkins on Jalen Brunson being "one of the greatest winners in sports" pic.twitter.com/ho3ap0fSWP
Brunson's NBA Finals run finished with an average of 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, so he was tremendous every single game for New York on the biggest stage.
Of course, some NBA legends played for the Knicks, with all of Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and Willis Reed competing for the title of "greatest Knick ever" alongside Brunson.
Brunson just finished his fourth season with the franchise, but leading them to the first NBA title in 53 years certainly has him suddenly in this conversation.
This is Exactly What Jalen Brunson Dreamed of
After beginning his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million contract in 2022 to come to New York.
And, after winning the NBA Finals and the NBA Finals MVP, Brunson admitted it was what he had dreamed about.
"It's everything we ever dreamed of," Brunson said, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. "It's why I came to New York."
"Words can't describe it, but I'll say I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win," Brunson added. "Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day. I think that means the most to me. And my family."
Brunson turns 30 years old in August, so there could be another NBA Finals run under his belt.
Related: New York Knicks Have Good Chance to Repeat as NBA Champions
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 9:48 AM.