NBA Legend Dirk Nowitzki Admits He Underrated Jalen Brunson’s Move to Knicks

Even Dirk Nowitzki did not expect Jalen Brunson to become the player who would lead the New York Knicks to the top of the NBA.

Nowitzki spent Brunson’s rookie season with him on the Dallas Mavericks before retiring in 2019. He saw Brunson’s work ethic and potential up close, but the Mavericks legend recently admitted that he had doubts when the guard left Dallas to sign with New York in 2022.

“When you left for New York, I wasn’t sure if this was going to work,” Nowitzki told Brunson. “So I’m super proud of you, super happy for you. I saw how hard you worked and how much it means to you, how much time you put in when nobody is watching. I’m so happy the way you’re leading this franchise.”

Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks, a deal that initially received criticism because he had never been the primary option on an NBA team.

He quickly made that contract look like a bargain.

Brunson showed signs of his potential during the Mavericks’ run to the 2022 Western Conference finals.

He averaged 21.6 points during that postseason and helped Dallas survive the beginning of its first-round series against the Utah Jazz while Luka Dončić was injured. Brunson scored 41 points in Game 2 and 31 in Game 3, proving he could carry an offense when given the opportunity.

However, Dončić’s presence meant Brunson would always operate as Dallas’ secondary ballhandler.

The Knicks offered him the chance to run his own team. Brunson responded by becoming one of the league’s premier guards and changing the direction of a franchise that had spent years searching for a long-term answer at point guard.

His success has never depended on overwhelming size or athleticism. Brunson creates advantages through footwork, strength, balance and an ability to change speeds. Those traits have made him especially dangerous late in games and throughout the postseason.

Nowitzki was hardly alone in questioning whether Brunson could become a franchise player.

The Mavericks had opportunities to extend Brunson before he reached unrestricted free agency. They instead allowed him to test the market, apparently viewing him as an important complementary piece rather than someone capable of leading a contender.

That decision became one of the organization’s most damaging mistakes.

Brunson eventually developed into an All-NBA player, the Knicks’ captain and the leader of a championship team. His rise also demonstrated how a larger role can uncover skills that were overshadowed while playing beside a ball-dominant superstar.

Nowitzki’s admission is especially meaningful because he witnessed Brunson’s approach firsthand. He may not have predicted what Brunson would become, but he understands why it happened.

The hours Brunson put in when nobody was watching prepared him to take advantage when New York finally handed him the opportunity.