At media day, Jalen Brunson touched on a number of topics regarding his vision for the upcoming season.
When he was asked by NBA TV’s Carolyn Manno about her approach to leadership, his response went beyond explicit: “A leader is not someone who goes out and tells people what to do,” Brunson said. “They have to do it by showing their actions and making sure those words mean something. I love working hard and I love being a person capable of accepting criticism, but also of giving it.”
Carlisle praised Brunson’s leadership from the court during his first preseason with the Knicks, calling him a “connector” who was able to mesh well with his teammates and use him to build chemistry on the court. At the time, Brunson called himself a “vocal leader” who still had a lot of room for improvement.
He then had a career season offensively and helped the Knicks become one of the best defenses in the NBA.