Fans Laughing At Idea Jalen Brunson Has Already Passed Derek Jeter

Now that Jalen Brunson is officially a champion, sports fans in New York are ready to place him ahead of some all-time great athletes.

Brunson was outstanding for the New York Knicks during the NBA Finals, averaging 32.6 points per game. He saved his best performance for Game 5, dropping 45 points on the San Antonio Spurs.

Apparently, Brunson's performance in the Finals was so impressive that WFAN host Evan Roberts is ready to rank him ahead of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter.

"I think he actually passes Jeter, too, because of what he just accomplished," Roberts said. "The one championship almost counts as 10 when you look at the history of this franchise and its fan base."

Roberts' co-host, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, isn't willing to co-sign that statement.

"I can't abide that," Barber replied. "There's no way Jalen Brunson after one championship has passed Jeter. You're penalizing Jeter because of the accomplishments of the franchise and you're giving credence to Jalen Brunson because the franchise sucked."

Most sports fans in New York are taking Barber's side in this argument.

"This is ridiculous," one fan said. "We are losing the plot."

"C'mon Evan. That really makes you seem clueless," a second fan wrote.

"Diehard Mets fan here, this is an embarrassing take," another fan commented.

Is there an actual debate for Brunson vs. Jeter?

While there's no denying Brunson is the King of New York right now, Jeter's résumé with the Yankees is truly incredible.

Jeter finished his MLB career with 14 All-Star appearances and five World Series rings. He owned a .310 batting average and ranks sixth all-time in hits. Although the pressure was on him every postseason, he always came through for the Yankees. In fact, he had a career .321 average in the World Series.

If Brunson wants to claim the No. 1 spot on "New York's Mt. Rushmore of Sports," he'll need to win multiple titles with the Knicks.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 11:51 AM.