Lamar Odom Ranks Jalen Brunson Among Current Players
Jalen Brunson has already reached a level where former NBA champions are being asked where he belongs among the league’s elite — and Lamar Odom’s view is guaranteed to get Knicks fans talking.
Brunson’s rise has been remarkable. Just a few years ago, he was viewed largely as a talented guard who had found the perfect situation in New York. Now he is an NBA champion and Finals MVP, and Odom has placed him firmly into the conversation when discussing today’s best players.
That is not a small compliment coming from someone who knows what it takes to perform when the pressure becomes unbearable.
Brunson’s championship season changed the conversation
The biggest reason Brunson’s standing has changed so dramatically is obvious: he just led the Knicks to their first NBA championship in more than five decades.
The 2025-26 season ended with Brunson winning Finals MVP after averaging 28.4 points and 6.1 assists during the playoffs. In the deciding Game 5 against San Antonio, he exploded for 45 points while shooting 14-for-27 from the field and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. (NBA.com)
That performance capped off a postseason in which Brunson repeatedly became the player New York turned to when everything was on the line.
And that matters when evaluating a player.
Regular-season numbers can tell you plenty, but there is something different about watching a guard carry an offense through multiple playoff rounds before delivering in the NBA Finals. Brunson has now done exactly that.
Odom understands the value of versatility
Odom’s own career gives his opinion an interesting perspective.
The former Lakers star was not a traditional power forward. He could rebound, handle the ball, pass, shoot from outside and initiate offense. During his seven seasons with the Lakers, he averaged 13.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists while helping Los Angeles reach three NBA Finals and win back-to-back championships. (NBA.com)
That versatility is relevant when discussing Brunson because modern NBA greatness is not simply about putting up huge scoring numbers.
Brunson is undersized compared with many of the league’s biggest stars, but he has consistently found ways to manipulate defenses with his footwork, strength, patience and ability to operate in the midrange.
He is also much more than a scorer.
The Knicks have increasingly placed the ball in his hands to create advantages, particularly late in games. Defenses know exactly who is going to have the ball, yet stopping him remains extremely difficult.
That is one of the clearest signs of an elite offensive player.
The Finals MVP changed Brunson’s reputation
There was a time when Brunson’s biggest criticism was that he had not yet proved he could be the primary star on a championship-level team.
That argument has become considerably harder to make.
His departure from Dallas initially created plenty of debate. The Mavericks had Luka Doncic, while Brunson was considered a promising secondary piece. New York ultimately gave him the opportunity to become the centerpiece of an offense.
He took it and kept improving.
By the time the Knicks reached the 2026 Finals, Brunson was no longer simply a former second-round pick who had exceeded expectations. He was the engine of a championship team.
The NBA’s official profile now lists him as a three-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, NBA Cup MVP, Eastern Conference Finals MVP, NBA champion and Finals MVP. (NBA.com)
That résumé has been built remarkably quickly.
And there is still more to come.
Brunson is now being discussed alongside the biggest names
The timing of Odom’s comments is particularly interesting because Brunson’s reputation has moved into another tier across the league.
The Ringer’s latest ranking of NBA players placed Brunson fifth, behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. That does not make the ranking definitive, but it shows how dramatically the perception of Brunson has changed. (Hoops Wire)
Brunson is no longer being discussed as a fringe All-Star or merely one of the better guards in the Eastern Conference.
He is part of the broader conversation surrounding the league’s premier players.
And there is an argument that his playoff résumé deserves even more attention than regular-season rankings.
The challenge for Brunson now is consistency
Of course, this is where the discussion gets interesting.
One championship does not automatically settle every argument about where a player belongs historically or even where he should sit among his current peers. The NBA is packed with elite talent, and players such as Jokic, Doncic, Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have built extraordinary résumés of their own.
Brunson’s next challenge is maintaining this level.
He will also enter the new season coming off wrist surgery. The NBA reported that he was expected to be ready for training camp after undergoing the procedure in June. (NBA.com)
That makes the upcoming season especially important.
Can Brunson remain an elite scorer while continuing to create for teammates? Can the Knicks defend their title with opponents now preparing specifically for them? And can Brunson produce another deep playoff run without carrying an unsustainable offensive burden?
Those questions will shape the next stage of his career.
New York has its franchise player
Perhaps the most important part of this entire discussion is what Brunson has become for the Knicks.
New York spent decades searching for a superstar capable of carrying the franchise through the biggest moments. Patrick Ewing came close. Other stars had memorable stretches. But the 2026 championship finally gave the organization the defining moment it had been waiting for since 1973.
Brunson was at the center of it.
Odom’s recognition therefore feels significant because it reflects a broader shift in how Brunson is viewed around the NBA. The conversation is no longer about whether he can be a legitimate No. 1 option.
He has already shown that he can.
Now the debate is about exactly where he belongs among the very best players in basketball.
And that is a very different conversation from the one surrounding Brunson when he first arrived in New York.
The Knicks star has gone from second-round pick to franchise centerpiece, NBA champion and Finals MVP in a remarkably short period.
Lamar Odom’s assessment adds another respected voice to a debate that is only going to become louder. Whether fans believe Brunson belongs near the very top or still have several players ahead of him, his championship run has made one thing extremely difficult to argue: Jalen Brunson has firmly established himself among the NBA’s elite.
Now Knicks fans will be watching to see whether he can stay there.