Jalen Brunson Hyped by Jay Wright as 'Michael Jordan, Kobe-esque' During NBA Playoffs

Most scouts didn't think Jalen Brunson would be the leading man on an NBA team, let alone a championship-winning team.

Jay Wright, Brunson's coach at Villanova, knew the New York Knicks star could be special, but even he didn't expect the kind of performance Brunson had in the Finals.

"The scouts initially looked at him as like a career backup point guard, but I was telling them like this guy can lead a team to a championship," Wright said on the Rich Eisen Show(9:30 mark). "I never said he would be Michael Jordan, Kobe-esque like he was in Game 5 or throughout those playoffs."

Brunson averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a pair of steals per game as the Knicks put the Spurs away in five games. He was spectacular in Game 5, posting 45 points in a 94-90 win.

Knicks-Spurs Highlights

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Given his smaller frame, Brunson wasn't seen as a player who could be an NBA superstar, but now, he's an NBA champion and a Finals MVP, and nobody can question what he's capable of.