The Knicks captain told a crowd he is fully cleared after offseason wrist surgery, just in time for camp.
Guard Jalen Brunson picked a crowd instead of a press release to share the news New York Knicks fans wanted to hear.
On Thursday night, Brunson opened a live show at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island by telling fans he is fully cleared after offseason surgery on his left shooting wrist, and the crowd broke into MVP chants.
What Brunson Said
Brunson and forward Josh Hart were hosting their third annual Roommates Show Block Party, and Brunson started the night with his health update.
When he was asked if he could play five-on-five, he gave a short answer that should calm a lot of nerves in New York, according to the New York Post.
"I was told that I am cleared," Brunson said.
He added that it came just in time for training camp, and the timing works out well.
Media day is Monday, and the Knicks open camp on Tuesday in Tarrytown as the defending champions.
How He Got Here
The injury was a tendon issue in his left wrist, and he played through it during the Knicks' title run.
Brunson told Variety in July that soft tissue holding the tendon kept flipping and snapping over the bone every time he shot, and he said he felt more pain when he was not in the game than when he was playing.
According to Yahoo Sports, he started noticing it late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland.
That makes what he did next even more impressive.
Brunson averaged 28.4 points in 19 playoff games and 32.6 points in five games in the Finals, and he was named Finals MVP as New York beat San Antonio for its first title in 53 years.
He had surgery in early July and spent much of the summer in a cast, so any update short of fully cleared would have been a worry.
There was already a promising report on his recovery earlier this month, and now Brunson has said it himself.
What It Means for the Knicks
The Knicks could not have asked for better news before camp.
Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 6.8 assists in 74 games last season, and everything New York does on offense starts with him.
A healthy Brunson lets head coach Mike Brown run camp the way he wants instead of easing his best player in, and it gives the new faces on the roster time to learn next to him.
The roster still has some questions, since center Mitchell Robinson left for the Boston Celtics, and center Andre Drummond was added to help fill the backup role behind center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Those changes will get tested, but they are much easier to handle with Brunson at full strength.
Repeating is hard for any champion, and there are real reasons the Knicks could win it again or fall short in 2027.
Brunson also has personal goals to chase, and a full camp puts a run at MVP within reach if he stays healthy.
The Knicks open the regular season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 20, and after this update, the captain should be ready to lead them from the first day.
