As the star point guard for the New York Knicks, you might think Jalen Brunson would be long on bombast, bluster, and—let’s be honest—ego. But when I spoke with him ahead of the team’s opening night against the Celtics last week, I was surprised by how low key he is. Sure, he knows he’s good. Yeah, he’s got some swag (plus a dedicated shoe room). But he’s also the guy who’s snagging some Dunkin’ on the way to Madison Square Garden, rocking a sweatsuit during his tunnel walk, and listening to Justin Bieber before each and every game.
“I’m definitely a comfy guy,” he says. “Comfort over everything. I like to wear a lot of neutrals or black—nothing too bright.” Case in point: last week’s outfit, which paired Nike Dunks with a white hoodie, black overshirt, and black trousers by Kith.
Jalen Brunson
“Sometimes, if I know I want to throw a nice fit on, I’ll ask my wife or my sister, ‘What do you think about this?'” 27-year-old Brunson explains. He already knows what his choice is, but he’s looking for an unbiased cosign. And what if he doesn’t get it? “Then I’m kind of screwed on that part,” Brunson says. “But—how do I explain this?—I care about what they say, but at the end of the day, I don’t really care what people think about me.”
I’m going to be honest here: I’m a Celtics fan. But after talking about family and friends and fashion with this particular Knick, I’m also a Brunson fan. And he’s about to make you one, too.
On the Game
I’m very excited. It’s gonna be a fun year to run it back with a familiar group. I mean, there are a lot of expectations outside of our organization for us to do well. But for us, we’re just trying to focus on how we can get better every single day and not let the outside noise positively or negatively affect us.
Jalen’s shoe room has “probably 150, maybe 200 pairs—at least.”
Room for Shoes
I do have a little shoe room, yes. There’s probably 150, maybe 200 pairs—at least. But I’m also the type of person where if I see myself growing out of shoes—I mean I’m still the same size, just not wearing them as much—I’ll give them away to Goodwill or something like that. I have had a huge collection, but there’s just no need to keep them if I’m never going to wear them again.
Choosing the Tunnel Fit
I like to pick out what I’m going to wear the night before so that my game day routine the next day is seamless. Sometimes, if I’m indecisive, I’ll have two options set out to choose from, but I always try to do that the night before. Unless I know I’m going to wear a sweatsuit set.
“I like to pick out what I’m going to wear the night before so that my game day routine the next day is seamless,” Brunson says. “Sometimes, if I’m indecisive, I’ll have two options set out to choose from.”
Some Superstitions
I drink a matcha green tea before every game. A Dunkin’ matcha. And one thing I do a lot is wear sunglasses into the game. I don’t do it all the time, but I do it more often than not. Oh, and I have a wide variety of music on my phone. I listen to Drake, and Jay-Z before a game—I switch it up with a lot of different artists. But right before I run out onto the court, I have to listen to one Bieber song. Not the same song, I always mix it up. I’ll literally just shuffle it.
His Happiest Moments
I’ll say this because she’s in the room: getting married. But I would also say winning a state championship my senior year of high school, and winning two College National Championships. I mean, those moments will forever stick with me forever.
“I drink a matcha green tea before every game. A Dunkin’ matcha,” he says. “And one thing I do a lot is wear sunglasses into the game. I don’t do it all the time, but I do it more often than not.”
Basketball Aside
I’m a Cubs fan, and I watch the Eagles. I love the Eagles. I was born in New Jersey, I lived in South Jersey for like 11 years in my childhood, and my first professional game that wasn’t basketball was an Eagles game. So, that’s how I became an Eagles fan.
Gaby Keiderling is a New York based writer, working on fashion, lifestyle, travel, and sports features. She also covers celebrity style for Esquire’s ‘Get Ready with Me’ franchise. Her work can also be seen in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. Sometimes you can spot her around the West Village, out on a walk with her dog Sneakers.
