Mark Cuban praises New York Knicks superstar

Given the rivalry that exists between the football teams, it might be hard to imagine a Dallas sports owner receiving a warm welcome in New York City. Considering what has happened at Madison Square Garden over the past two NBA seasons, New York Knicks fans are more than willing to go against the grain.

Appearing on “The Daily Show” earlier this week, Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban mentioned that the metropolitan passersby have always been friendly, but that things have gotten particularly friendly since the Knicks acquired former Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson.

“I like walking around New York,” Cuban told host Jon Stewart. “Just today, as I was walking down the street, I heard, ‘Yeah, Cuban, we love you!’ It’s crazy. There are huge basketball fans here and I get all kinds of love.”

“Now it’s more like ‘thanks for JB!'”

By now, anyone even remotely connected to Knicks basketball is familiar with Brunson’s impact, which has returned New York to the realm of NBA relevance. This season is one of the most legitimately hopeful in recent metropolitan memory, one in which many expect Brunson and the Knicks to build on last year’s 50-win production.

It all started when Brunson, fresh off four years with Cuban’s Mavericks, signed a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks during the summer of 2022. Brunson’s NBA journey began when he was selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2018 draft, 30 picks after Cuban and company landed the current face of the franchise, Luka Doncic.

Cuban’s conversation with Stewart, a diehard Knicks fan and a mainstay on the MSG court, gave him a chance to reflect on Brunson’s progress.

“He had talent, but they took him in the second round,” Cuban recalled. “If everyone knew that, he would have been in the top five. If you rewrite that draft, other than Luka, he’s in the top three or five picks… You have to give him credit, he worked hard.”

However, Cuban humorously made it clear that he’d had enough talk about Brunson when Stewart mentioned the point guard’s recent contract extension, which put $113 million back into the Knicks’ pockets by signing him now rather than later.

“So let’s talk about politics,” Cuban said with a laugh.

Seeing Cuban make light of the Brunson situation is certainly a contrast to how he’s typically approached it: Cuban famously accused the Knicks of manipulating Brunson’s free agency when they hired his father Rick as an assistant coach prior to his signing. Cuban’s complaints eventually led to an NBA investigation, which ultimately charged the Knicks with the loss of a second-round draft pick.

Cuban will have the chance to meet Brunson face-to-face, as he will be the next guest on the “Roommates Show” podcast that the new Knicks captain hosts alongside Josh Hart.

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