New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has risen to stardom in the Big Apple, and he got some help getting there from a Yankees legend.
It’s been said many times how difficult it can be to play in New York. The pressure from the fans and the media to win every time they step on the field or the court can be overwhelming. But those who embrace the pressure in big moments as Brunson has tend to become icons.
Getting to this point wasn’t easy, and he took indirect notes from Yankees legend Derek Jeter on how to handle playing in New York City.
According to Mark Jones of ESPN, Brunson’s father made him watch “The Captain”, a documentary about Jeter’s rise to becoming arguably the most revered athlete in New York.
Jalen Brunson’s dad made him watch the Derek Jeter documentary when he signed with the Knicks so that Brunson could learn how to handle all that comes with playing in New York City, per @MarkJonesESPN pic.twitter.com/oVyVbl9EEk
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 17, 2024
Here is Jones talking about that during one of the Knicks’ games this season:
Jalen Brunson’s dad made him watch the Derek Jeter documentary when he signed with the Knicks so that Brunson could learn how to handle all that comes with playing in New York City, per @MarkJonesESPN pic.twitter.com/oVyVbl9EEk
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 17, 2024
Many stars have come to New York thinking everything will go smoothly only for them to fail spectacularly.
It can be argued that nobody navigated the lifestyle in New York better than Jeter. He embodied what it meant to be the captain of the Yankees, and the city loved him for it.
Brunson is enjoying a similar rise to stardom, and the lessons he learned from watching the Yankees’ great are paying off.
