Frances Tiafoe: Knicks' Jalen Brunson Is 'Damn Near' Bigger Than Jay-Z in New York

Jalen Brunson's ascent up the New York star rankings may have him on par with Jay-Z, at least according to Frances Tiafoe.

The tennis star said Brunson is "damn near bigger than Jay-Z" in New York City after wrapping up his second-round match at the U.S. Open.

It's hard for anyone to get close to Jay-Z on the NYC hierarchy. "Empire State of Mind" is entirely about how much he loves the city, with references to Brooklyn, Tribeca, Harlem, Bed-Stuy, the Knicks, Nets and Yankees.

Brunson elevated himself into that category thanks primarily to his performance for the Knicks in the NBA playoffs last season. The superstar point guard averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists per game in 13 starts.

The Knicks looked to be on their way to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but injuries to key players in the first two rounds of the playoffs proved too much to overcome.

Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in four consecutive playoff games. He accomplished the feat from Games 4-6 in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers and Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.

The 27-year-old only further endeared himself to Knicks fans in July when he signed a new contract for $113 million less than what he could have earned if he had waited until next summer to extend his deal.

Brunson's decision to give up money now will allow the Knicks flexibility to keep their core with Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby together and avoiding the second apron tax level.

If Brunson can get close to Jay-Z's level of popularity in New York just by getting the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs, imagine what will happen if they advance even further next season.