Foul Baiting or No? Jalen Brunson Gets Honest About Major Criticism

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson shut down critics over foul-baiting allegations.

Foul Baiting or No? Jalen Brunson Gets Honest About Major Criticism

Jalen Brunson (Image credits - Firstsportz)

Jalen Brunson is having the best season of his NBA career since being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks as the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Brunson is coming off a season-high 47 points to go along with eight assists as he led the New York Knicks to an impressive 132-125 victory over the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

The Knicks guard helped his side lift the 2025 NBA Cup which was their first trophy in 52 years and was handed the NBA Cup MVP award, joining the likes of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Regarded as one of the best scorers in the league today, Jalen Brunson has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to average 29.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists so far this season.

The 29-year-old continues to make a strong case for the league-MVP award, and a lot of it will depend on how well the Knicks perform as the season progresses. Following the win of Sunday, the Knicks find themselves at second place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 20-8 record, behind only the Detroit Pistons who have been a surprise package this season..

After helping the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Knicks will fancy their chances this season. Many believe the East is wide open this year as the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers battle with long-term injuries to their key players, while the Milwaukee Bucks deal with the drama surrounding Antetokounmpo, hence, a lot of hopes will be on Brunson, who is a huge fan favorite in the city of New York to take them all the way this year.

There is no doubt that Brunson is one of the most skillful scorers in the NBA but has often received criticism for foul-baiting with many calling him a “foul-baiter”. The two-time NBA All-Star made an appearance on The Underground Lounge and defended himself from these allegations.

I play by the rules. I’m not a foul-baiter. I just play by the rules. Be disciplined on defense. Don’t reach. I don’t jump backwards. Go look. Watch the film. I jump straight up.

Brunson is averaging just 6.8 free-throw attempts per game and is ranked 25th in the league while making 84.7% of his free throws.

Fans react to Jalen Brunson’s comments on not foul-baiting

While the Knicks star defended himself and did not believe he is a foul-baiter, fans had various reactions to his comments on social media. Here are some of the reactions:

Mike Brown showers praise on Jalen Brunson

Irrespective of the foul-baiting allegations, Brunson has shown that he is an elite scorer. Despite being only 6’2″, Brunson knows how to get to the right spots and make the right plays. While his small size may be a liability in defense, his elite offense balances it out.

Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson (Image credits – MARCA)

Following his season-high 47 points against the Heat, Knicks head coach Mike Brown had a few words about Brunson’s offense during his time in Dallas and when Brown was in the Golden State Warriors.

When he was in Dallas and a young fella, we (Warriors) played them in the playoffs and at his size and even as a young guy, we had some pretty good wing defenders. We put Draymond on him, I was the defensive coordinator, he was a terror back then. I knew he was a really good player, obviously being able to coach him now you see all the other stuff plus he’s older now.

As the 2025-26 campaign heats up, a lot of eyes will be on Brunson as he continues to lead the Knicks and make a case for the league MVP title.

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