Everything Jalen Brunson Said About Knicks' NBA Title, SNL, Mitchell Robinson Exit, More

Winning a championship isn't without some drawbacks.

During the New York Knicks' media day Monday, star guard Jalen Brunson reflected on how he had the "longest, shortest summer ever." The team's NBA Finals triumph brought added obligations and appearances, eating into some of Brunson's offseason.

One such example was the three-time All-Star's recent hosting gig on Saturday Night Live . He said it's too soon for him to fully reflect on his performance:

Brunson is familiar with turning around and trying to defend a title. He was a two-time national champion at Villanova. He stressed the need to remain focused and not coast on what happened last year, and he believes his teammates will understand that objective:

The Knicks are mostly running it back. Mitchell Robinson was their only notable exit, with Andre Drummond taking his place in the frontcourt. While he was disappointed to see Robinson go, Brunson is confident in Drummond's ability to provide depth at center:

It will be fascinating to see which version of the Knicks shows up in 2026-27: the one that won 53 games and finished third in the Eastern Conference, or the one that turned into an unstoppable machine in the playoffs.

Prior to the title triumph, a lot of people questioned New York's title credentials.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported in April that speculation over the future of head coach Mike Brown "won't die down unless they reach the NBA Finals, and even that might not be good enough for the first-year New York coach to be safe."

Now, nobody is questioning whether Brown is the right man for the job or if the Knicks have a championship-caliber roster.

A lot has to go right for a team to win a title, and the challenge becomes even more difficult once you've pulled it off. Brunson is well aware of that, and it's a message he'll continue to convey to the locker room.