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Knicks Star Jalen Brunson’s Personal Connection With Kobe Bryant Comes to Light, After Historic Performance

Published 12/18/2023, 12:55 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The New York Knicks completely thrashed the Phoenix Suns on Friday, all thanks to Jalen Brunson’s historic performance. He finished the game with 50 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals. He joined the exclusive Knicks club in the company of Ben Gordon and Latrell Sprewell with this perfect record. It was a historic night not just for him but for his parents too, who have been on his basketball journey ever since he was a kid and they couldn’t have been more proud of their son’s achievements. 

After his historical record, @NBA_NewYork posted a video to X (formerly known as Twitter) that shows the making of Jalen Brunson and his training as a young hooper. It was here that his connection with the late Kobe Bryant came to light.

Cues from Black Mamba himself

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In the video, phrases like “Everything you do has to be legit”, “Getting tired is for the weak, be mentally strong” echo in the background as both his parents train young Jalen. It was also revealed that Jalen’s mother, Sandra Brunson, played volleyball for Temple University. It was here that she was roommates with Kobe’s elder sister, Sharia Bryant. So what she learned firsthand from her journey is what she inculcated in young Jalen. There were also photographs of the mother-son with Mamba himself, so it is possible that Jalen learned a thing or two from the legend himself.   

Coming back to the video, Jalen is clearly tired but his parents keep on pushing him as he sprints back and forth, missing and making shots. Because of their professional sports backgrounds, both parents know what it takes to truly reach perfection. And it seems like they did everything they could to prepare young Jalen Brunson for greatness in the future. 

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Jalen Brunson broke more records that night

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He did not just make his career-high points. In addition, Jalen made all of his nine three-point shot attempts. What’s even more astonishing is that he did not even miss a single shot in the second half of the game. That registers his name in the only NBA player list to have made more than 30 points in a half without missing a single point.

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Brunson is on a remarkable 46% accuracy this season from behind the arc. After the match, his teammate Julius Randle made sure to secure Brunson’s milestone ball after the Bucks-Pacers chaos. Entering week 9 of the season, the Knicks will play against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

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Written by:

Chetan Kumar

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Chetan is an NBA content writer at Essentially Sports. Being an active basketball player since his school days, he has always been a dedicated follower of the NBA. His passion for the game has drove him to pursue a career in sports journalism.
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Edited by:

Ruth John