Jalen Brunson for New York City Mayor? Knicks Star Doesn’t See That Happening

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson had a hilarious reaction to receiving votes in the New York City mayor elections.

Jalen Brunson for New York City Mayor? Knicks Star Doesn’t See That Happening

Jalen Brunson (Image credits - Firstsportz)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

It is no surprise that Jalen Brunson is a fan favorite in New York city. After guiding the New York Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time in 25 years, Brunson has been an indispensable star for the Knicks. While they were eventually knocked out by the Indiana Pacers in six games, it appears that the Knicks are heading in the right direction.

The Knicks guard is currently averaging 28.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game as they are placed at second in the Eastern Conference standings with a 17-7 record, only two games behind table-toppers, the Detroit Pistons.

While there were doubts surrounding Jalen Brunson if he could make it in the league due to his lack of size and athleticism, those doubts have all been put to rest as the 29-year-old has made two NBA All-Star appearances in the last two years and will most likely be nominated again. With Karl-Anthony Towns at the center, the two stars have formed a formidable partnership and are considered as one of the most lethal duos in the Eastern conference.

The recently concluded New York city mayor election saw Zohran Mamdani as the newly elected mayor. But earlier this week, it was revealed that Brunson earned 27 votes despite not running for mayor, such is the craze for the former Dallas Mavericks player. When asked about the votes by the media, Brunson shut down the possibility of any political ambitions:

I did see that. At this point of my life, no (about contesting for mayor). I would not consider it. I’m just going to focus on basketball. We have a great fanbase, it’s funny, it’s cool to see, but I’m going to stay in my lane.

There were other New York athletes who managed to gather some votes as well but it was Brunson who led the pack, symbolizing Knicks’ resurgence and the star’s philanthropy in the city.

Jalen Brunson went at it with a Toronto Raptors fan

It was a clash between two teams currently in direct playoff contention in the eastern conference. The Knicks emerged victorious in a convincing 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena in the second East quarterfinal of the 2025-26 NBA Cup.

There is a famous saying, especially in sports “Never poke the bear”. And that is exactly what a Raptors fan did with Brunson, who went on to put one of his most dominant performances of the season, scoring a game-high 35 points. It was exchange the fan would have regretted at the end of the match.

It took place during the first quarter when the fan kept on taunting the Knicks guard. It reached a point where Brunson asked the fan, “Why you harassing me?” To which the fan answered, “That’s a flop”

“That’s a foul. Just playing by the rules,” Brunson replied before the fan continued repeating, “Don’t flop my boy. Stop flopping.”

Maybe that was the spark that Brunson needed as the Knicks had a 17-point lead heading into the second half and sealed the deal. The Knicks will take on the Orlando Magic in the semifinals.

Can the New York Knicks make it to the NBA finals?

The eastern conference is wide open this season. As both the Pacers and the Boston Celtics deal with long-term injuries to key players and the Milwaukee Bucks struggling for wins as Giannis Antentokounmpo trade rumors get hotter, the Knicks led by Brunson have a good chance to make it out of the east. Still early days but the signs have been promising so far.

Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson (Image credits – NBC Sports)

But Brunson is not thinking too far ahead and is taking it one day at a time. He stated:

To be honest, I haven’t looked ahead to anything. It’s not even past Christmas yet. I am not worried about anything in the future, not worried about anything that far down the line. Just focusing on one day at a time.

Following an Eastern Conference finals appearance last season, the Knicks will be hoping that Brunson can guide the team one step further and possibly all the way.

Also Read: