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    What Jalen Brunson Must Do To Become the NBA’s Next MVP

    soreceryBy No Comments6 Mins Read

    Before the 2025-26 season, Jalen Brunson performed as one of the NBA’s best guards. Now, he’s the face of the defending champions.

    After leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA title in 53 years, Brunson enters the 2026-27 season with something he’s never had before: legitimate MVP expectations.

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    Brunson currently boasts almost every accolade: NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, Eastern Conference Finals MVP, NBA Cup MVP. Entering next year, one of the most decorated players in basketball now has his sights set on the one accolade still missing on his resume. That’s the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award.

    And for the first time in his career, it feels like a very real possibility.

    There’s no denying Brunson has evolved into one of the league’s premier superstars, but winning MVP has always been about more than just talent.

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    It takes elite production, team success, and perhaps most importantly, the right narrative. Brunson may have all three.

    His 2025-26 campaign was nothing short of remarkable. During the regular season, he averaged 26.0 points and 6.8 assists per game while leading New York to one of the league’s best records.

    Those numbers earned him his third consecutive All-Star selection and a spot on the All-NBA second team once again.

    Then, the postseason came. Brunson elevated his play when the lights were brightest, delivering one of the greatest playoff runs in franchise and even league history.

    He guided the Knicks through the Eastern Conference, earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors before putting together a historic Finals performance against the San Antonio Spurs.

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    In the Finals, Brunson averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. His heroics led New York to a 4-1 series victory and the franchise’s first championship since 1973.

    His 11.2 fourth-quarter points per game set a play-by-play era record, earning him the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award.

    As if that wasn’t enough, Brunson also led New York to the NBA Cup championship earlier in the season while taking home the tournament’s MVP honors.

    The accolades kept coming long after the season ended.

    At the 2026 ESPY Awards, Brunson received the following honors: Best NBA Player, Best Championship Performance, and Best Athlete in Men’s Sports. That caps off arguably the greatest individual season in Knicks history.

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    And, it’s the kind of resume that immediately places a player in the center of next season’s MVP conversation.

    Historically, MVP winners almost always come from one of the NBA’s elite teams.

    If the Knicks once again finish near the top of the Eastern Conference, especially if they secure the No. 1 seed, Jalen Brunson’s candidacy becomes significantly stronger.

    Voters consistently reward the best player on one of the league’s best teams. New York has every reason to believe it can repeat as one of the NBA’s elite.

    The Knicks return nearly their entire championship core, only losing Mitchell Robinson and adding veteran depth with Andre Drummond. Overall, it maintained the majority of a championship-winning team.

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    Of course, the Knicks will have a target on their back from every NBA team. New lottery rules could lead to less blatant tanking and, therefore, fewer “easy” victories. The Eastern Conference will feature new-look teams aiming to dethrone New York, like Toronto, Miami, Indiana, and Philadelphia.

    That said, if New York approaches or surpasses the 60-win mark, Brunson will almost certainly find himself near the top of every MVP ballot.

    Ironically, Brunson’s regular-season numbers may not have reflected just how dominant he became throughout the playoffs.

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    After averaging 26 points per game during the regular season, it’s not unreasonable to believe another leap is coming.

    A season averaging somewhere around 29 or 30 points, seven or eight assists, and career-best shooting efficiency would give Brunson a statistical profile comparable to recent MVP winners. New York will need to play its best basketball from start to finish. If it does that, it will be because of Brunson.

    And of note, Brunson will be entering his age-30 season, meaning he is very well still in the midst of his prime.

    He’s already proven he can shoulder the offensive load when necessary. Now, it’s about sustaining that level over an 82-game season.

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    As compelling as Jalen Brunson’s case may be, winning MVP is never easy.

    For starters, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama will all enter the season with legitimate MVP aspirations of their own. Every one of them is capable of producing historic numbers while leading their respective teams deep into the playoffs.

    There’s also an interesting challenge unique to Brunson. The Knicks might be too balanced.

    With Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and one of the league’s deeper supporting casts, Brunson won’t necessarily have to carry the offensive burden every single night. While that is great news for New York’s championship hopes, it could hurt his MVP chances.

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    Besides team success, MVP voters will often gravitate toward players posting eye-popping individual statistics. A balanced roster may limit Brunson’s opportunities to produce the kind of gaudy numbers that traditionally separate MVP candidates.

    There’s also the possibility of voter fatigue in a different form.

    After winning nearly every meaningful award over the past year, some voters may naturally look toward the league’s next breakout superstar rather than rewarding the reigning champion once again.

    Last year, Jalen Brunson entered the year as one of the NBA’s biggest stars, but he was still fighting for respect in the MVP conversation. Brunson has only finished top-five in voting once (in 2023-24), and he was in fifth on that season’s ballot.

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    Despite consistently proving himself, he was often behind players like Jokić and SGA when discussions about the league’s best player began.

    Entering the 2026-27 campaign, that will no longer be the case. Brunson won’t be looking to evolve into a superstar. He already is. He’s beginning the new season as the reigning NBA Finals MVP and the leader of the defending champions.

    Every game he plays will carry a different level of attention. Every dominant performance will be viewed through the lens of an MVP candidate.

    Instead of asking whether Brunson belongs among the NBA’s elite, the conversation will revolve around whether anyone can take the throne from him and the Knicks. That kind of respect matters in an award that’s often influenced by narrative as much as statistics.

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    For the first time in his career, Brunson won’t have to convince voters that he’s one of the league’s best players. He will only have to remind them.

    Because if last season proved anything, betting against Jalen Brunson is a losing proposition.

    The post What Jalen Brunson Must Do To Become the NBA’s Next MVP appeared first on The Lead.

     

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