Jalen Brunson etched his name into Knicks history by leading New York past Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to end the franchise’s 53-year championship drought. The Knicks captain capped off the title run by earning NBA Finals MVP honors. Yet when NBA 2K unveiled its latest cover athlete last week, it was Wembanyama, not Brunson, who got the spotlight. The decision sparked plenty of debate, with Brunson receiving strong support from fans and former players alike, including one Miami Heat legend.

On Episode 28 of the Crossover Podcast, Tim Hardaway Sr. was reminded that Gilbert Arenas is not convinced that the captain of the team is a ‘real superstar in the league.’ The former champion said, “Jalen Brunson is a superstar. And Imma tell you this: for them to put Wemby on the cover of 2K, when Jalen Brunson won & beat them, is a travesty. 2K, you are wrong for that. This is Jalen Brunson’s time. You give it to Jalen Brunson. He conquered the big man.”

Before Wembanyama was unveiled as the cover athlete for 2K27, recent editions of the game had featured reigning champions such as Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That trend led many fans and critics to question why Jalen Brunson, fresh off leading the Knicks to a championship and winning Finals MVP, wasn’t selected instead.

Of course, there’s no rule that says the cover athlete has to come from the league’s latest title-winning team. Still, former Heat star Tim Hardaway believes Brunson had a strong case. Hardaway has long admired Brunson’s game, and given the similarities in their styles of play, it’s easy to see why he threw his support behind the Knicks guard.

Last year, speaking exclusively with EssentiallySports, the Heat legend also admitted that their traits are quite similar. 

“Of myself? (answering about who reminds you the most of yourself?) Oh, man. That’s tough. Jalen Brunson. Jalen Bronson got the crossover. He could take over; he can get to the lane. He makes his team go. They’re behind him 100%. So yeah, somebody like Jalen Bronson, but I was a little bit quicker than him.”

There is also a connection, because the Heat legend also paid close attention to JB during his Mavericks time. Because Tim Hardaway Jr. was also playing in Dallas. So, it’s understandable why the former champion hails Brunson.

He led the Knicks to a 4–1 series victory over the Spurs and made important contributions throughout. Importantly, in Game 5, on the back of his 45-point performance, he tied Michael Jordan for the most points scored on the road in a Finals-clinching game.

Clearly, like many, Tim Hardaway Sr. felt it should have been enough for JB to be the new face of 2K. It’s not the only time that the Heat legend has raised statements against Wemby.

In 2023, when Victor Wembanyama was drafted as the overall #1 pick, Tim Hardaway Sr claimed Bol Bol is a better player than the Spurs star. Just last year, the Heat legend had another opportunity to explain his opinion.

“I tell you this: I think Bol Bol has the same abilities as Victor Wembanyama,” he said on Run It Back. “I think that Bol Bol hasn’t went out there and showed it for some reasons or whatever. But I see the same athletic ability that Bol Bol has. I don’t know if it’s confidence. I don’t know if the team is not giving him confidence. But I tell you this: I’m always in Bol Bol’s corner.”

Comments from last year clearly suggest how Tim Hardaway views JB and Victor Wembanyama differently. And it’s not surprising that the Heat legend backed the Knicks guard.