Jalen Brunson has been cementing his legacy as one of the greatest New York Knicks players in franchise history over the past few weeks. But his latest comments are drawing a sharp contrast with the Carmelo Anthony era—and showing exactly why the team is better off now.
The Knicks have been on an absolute tear this month. After falling behind two games to one in their quarterfinal series against the Atlanta Hawks, they ripped off seven straight wins and stormed into the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals. It's the second consecutive year New York has reached that stage, a feat that seemed impossible just a few seasons ago.
Brunson has been the engine of this resurgence. Since arriving in 2022, he has led the Knicks to the playoffs every single season, emerging as a perennial All-Star and arguably the best closer in the game. But what truly endears him to the Madison Square Garden faithful isn't just his scoring—it's his humility.
During a press conference on Wednesday, a reporter asked Brunson if he, as a star player, is bothered by not having the ball in his hands as the offense adapts. His response was vintage Brunson: simple, honest, and completely team-first.
"One, I'm not a star. Two, I want to win," he said.
That kind of selfless attitude hasn't been seen from a top Knicks star in decades. And it stands in stark contrast to the Carmelo Anthony era. Melo, a future Hall of Famer and 10-time All-Star, spent seven seasons in New York. But for all his individual brilliance, the results were underwhelming.
Anthony led the Knicks to the playoffs just three times in seven years. Four of those seasons ended with losing records, including a disastrous 17-65 campaign in 2014-15, when he played only 40 games. And when the Knicks did make the postseason, the furthest they advanced was the second round—just once.
Brunson, by contrast, has already taken New York to back-to-back Conference Finals and counting. His humble, team-first approach is proving that sometimes the best star isn't the one who demands the spotlight—but the one who shares it.