Stephen A. Smith Backs Jalen Brunson as the Eastern Conference’s Best Player Ahead of 2026-27
Jalen Brunson has already given New York Knicks fans plenty of reasons to believe in him. Now, as the franchise prepares for another season with championship expectations, the conversation surrounding the star point guard is reaching another level. The question is no longer simply whether Brunson belongs among the NBA’s elite. It is whether anybody in the Eastern Conference can make a stronger case for being the best player in the league’s other half.
That is the debate behind the latest headline involving ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, who is known for his passionate support of his hometown Knicks. His reported backing of Brunson ahead of the 2026-27 campaign carries extra weight after everything the guard has accomplished in New York.
But calling someone the best player in an entire conference is a serious statement. The Eastern Conference has plenty of talent, and Brunson will have to continue producing at an extraordinary level if he wants to make that argument difficult to challenge.
Jalen Brunson Has Earned His Place in the Conversation
There was a time when Brunson was viewed as a very good guard who could help a competitive team rather than someone capable of becoming the centerpiece of a championship contender.
His arrival in New York changed that perception.
Brunson developed into the Knicks’ offensive leader, combining outstanding footwork, clever changes of pace and an ability to create shots when opposing defenses appeared to have everything covered. He does not need overwhelming athleticism to control a game. Instead, he uses his balance, timing and understanding of defensive positioning to get where he wants on the floor.
Those qualities become especially valuable in the playoffs, when opponents have more time to study an offense and target its weaknesses.
Brunson has repeatedly demonstrated that he can handle that pressure. His ability to score in difficult situations and keep New York competitive has helped transform the expectations surrounding the franchise.
The biggest change is that the Knicks are no longer simply hoping to make a deep postseason run. After reaching the NBA Finals and capturing the championship in 2026, they enter the new season with a title to defend and a target on their backs.
Brunson is at the center of that challenge.
Stephen A. Smith’s Support Comes After a Remarkable Championship Run
Smith’s relationship with Brunson makes this discussion particularly interesting. The outspoken analyst is a well-known Knicks supporter, and his reactions to the franchise’s biggest moments often reflect the emotions of a fan base that has spent decades waiting for another championship.
Brunson’s rise has also created an intriguing contrast with Smith’s earlier skepticism about the Knicks pursuing him in free agency in 2022. At the time, Smith questioned whether Brunson was the kind of superstar worth building the franchise around. Since then, the guard has established himself as one of the NBA’s leading players and helped deliver a championship that New York fans will remember for generations.
That history makes any strong endorsement from Smith especially significant. Brunson has not merely become a popular figure in New York; he has produced the results that championship teams demand from their leading players.
Still, the exact wording of Smith’s latest reported endorsement could not be independently verified from the original article, so it would be unfair to invent a quotation or suggest that he made a specific argument that has not been confirmed.
The larger basketball debate, however, is worth having. Brunson has earned serious consideration among the East’s leading stars, and his championship performances give his supporters a compelling case.
The 2026 NBA Finals Changed Brunson’s Reputation
If anyone needed another reminder of what Brunson can deliver when the stakes are highest, the 2026 NBA Finals provided it.
The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, winning Game 5 by a score of 94-90 to secure their first NBA championship since 1973. Brunson delivered 45 points in the deciding game, setting a franchise record for scoring in an NBA Finals game and earning the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
Those are the kinds of performances that separate excellent regular-season players from stars who can carry a team through the most demanding moments of a championship run.
Brunson averaged 32.6 points per game during the Finals, according to the NBA’s official series statistics. He repeatedly found ways to score against a Spurs defense featuring Victor Wembanyama, one of the league’s most imposing defensive talents.
What made the achievement particularly impressive was how Brunson did it. At approximately six feet tall, he is not the biggest or most physically imposing player on the court. Yet his footwork, ability to draw contact and patience in the pick-and-roll allow him to create opportunities against defenders with significant physical advantages.
That is why his supporters believe he deserves to be discussed alongside the conference’s very best.
A championship does not automatically make someone the best player in their conference, of course. Basketball remains a team sport, and New York received important contributions from its supporting cast. Nevertheless, Brunson’s ability to deliver when the season was on the line strengthened his individual case considerably.
The Eastern Conference Is Full of Competition
There is one important complication for anyone arguing that Brunson is the East’s undisputed best player: the competition is formidable.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has the physical dominance and two-way ability to influence games in ways few players can match. Cade Cunningham continues to establish himself as a leading playmaker, while Philadelphia has assembled a formidable collection of talent around Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
The balance of power has also shifted following significant roster changes around the conference. The Knicks cannot assume that last season’s championship guarantees another comfortable path through the playoffs.
Then there is the question of what being the best player actually means.
Does it mean the player who scores the most points? The one who makes teammates better? The most complete player on both ends of the floor? Or the superstar most likely to take over a close playoff game?
Brunson has a strong argument when the conversation turns to offensive leadership and late-game shot creation. His championship run demonstrated that he can handle enormous responsibility without abandoning the qualities that make him effective.
Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, offers a different kind of dominance, particularly through his combination of size, finishing and defensive presence. Other stars can make equally compelling arguments depending on which qualities matter most.
That is what makes the debate interesting. Smith’s reported support of Brunson gives Knicks fans another reason to celebrate their leader, but the discussion should not end with one analyst’s opinion.
Can Brunson Lead the Knicks to Another Championship?
The next challenge is arguably harder than the last one.
Winning a championship establishes a team’s credentials. Defending it means facing opponents who have spent an entire offseason studying how to beat you. Every weakness becomes a potential target, and every regular-season matchup carries an additional layer of significance.
Brunson will also need the Knicks around him to remain effective. Karl-Anthony Towns provides an important interior scoring threat and rebounding presence, while the team’s supporting players help create the defensive pressure and offensive opportunities necessary for a deep postseason run.
New York’s early preseason results have not all been encouraging, but those games should not be treated as a definitive prediction of what the team will accomplish when the regular season begins. The more meaningful test will be how quickly the Knicks establish consistency and how effectively they respond when opponents adjust to their offense.
For Brunson, another outstanding campaign would strengthen his position in the conference-wide conversation. Another deep playoff run would make the argument even more compelling.
The challenge is maintaining his level of production while helping the entire team succeed. Individual recognition matters, but the Knicks will ultimately be judged on whether they can remain among the league’s championship contenders.
Brunson Has the Credentials, but the Debate Is Far From Over
Stephen A. Smith’s reported backing of Jalen Brunson captures a debate that Knicks fans will be eager to revisit throughout the 2026-27 season.
Brunson has gone from a player whose ceiling was questioned to a championship-winning leader who delivered 45 points in the biggest game of his career. His performances have earned him a place among the NBA’s elite, and his influence on New York’s resurgence is difficult to dispute.
Whether he is the Eastern Conference’s single best player remains a matter of perspective. Other stars have different strengths, and the season ahead will provide fresh evidence for every side of the argument.
One thing is clear: Brunson has earned the right to be part of the conversation. After bringing a championship back to New York, he no longer needs to convince people that he can lead a contender.
Now comes the challenge of proving that the Knicks can do it again.
Do you agree that Jalen Brunson is the best player in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2026-27 season, or does another star deserve that distinction?