{
  "id": 18408515,
  "title": "Jason Kidd Reveals When He Knew Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Was Special",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/jason-kidd-reveals-when-he-knew-knicks-jalen-brunson-was-special",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-06T00:39:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nba/jason-kidd-reveals-when-he-knew-knicks-jalen-brunson-was-special-12674017"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jason Kidd, a former New York Knicks coach and current ESPN analyst, has revealed the moment he knew Jalen Brunson was special. During his final season with the Dallas Mavericks in 2021-22, Kidd watched Brunson grow from a role player to a go-to scorer. The Hall of Famer shared this moment on NBA Today, saying that Brunson's decision to bet on himself in free agency and his incredible playoff performance, including leading the team in the first series against Utah, were the indicators. Kidd also highlighted Brunson's decision to use his right hand, which proved to be the decisive moment. Brunson, a left-handed player, became much harder to slow down when he got comfortable playing off his right side. This shift in playing style paid off when Brunson won the NBA Finals MVP and led the New York Knicks to their first title since 1973.",
  "summary": "Jason Kidd coached Jalen Brunson in Dallas, and he still remembers when he knew the Knicks star was meant for more.",
  "key_points": [
    "Kidd recognized Brunson's potential during Mavericks' final season.",
    "Brunson's free agency decision and playoff performance indicated his special status.",
    "Switching to right hand made Brunson harder to defend, leading to Finals MVP."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Brunson’s willingness to master his non-dominant hand and bet on himself in free agency transformed him from a role player into a championship-winning cornerstone for the New York Knicks.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}