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00:09Welcome to New York Got Game.
00:15Dexter Henry here for another edition of New York Got Game.
00:20Special edition, special guest to talk to today.
00:23It is the fourth annual Jalen Brunson Charity Golf Classic and Dinner.
00:29And we're here in Westchester to talk to two special guests, Jalen Brunson, MVP of the
00:352026 NBA Finals, and his mom, Sandra Brunson, here with me to talk about this.
00:41Guys, how are you doing?
00:42Good, thanks.
00:43Thanks for having us.
00:44Well, I'm really, really happy to have you guys here today because of what you're doing.
00:48And it should be noted that you guys also are the co-founders of the Second Round Foundation,
00:53something I know you guys are both very, it's very near and dear to your heart here.
00:57This is the fourth year of this charity golf event that the two of you have to help the
01:03Second Round Foundation.
01:04And obviously this year is a little different because Jalen here is coming off of winning
01:09the NBA championship.
01:10And so I think for all of us on the outside, it's different.
01:13But for you, having this event for the fourth year, right, does it hit differently in any
01:19way, Jalen and Sandra, coming off the NBA championship?
01:22Is there anything different about the way this year feels doing this event for the fourth time?
01:26Can I start?
01:28That's nice.
01:30He's nice in Jalen.
01:30He's a mom first.
01:33It's not different.
01:35I would say that the awareness and the exposure is slightly different.
01:42It's elevated.
01:44What Jalen and his teammates have done on the court has amplified, you know, the goals that
01:50he has as a philanthropic individual.
01:55It's just amplified our mission and vision.
01:58And we're truly grateful for that.
02:00We couldn't imagine having the amount of exposure that we have had for what he's done on the
02:11court to promote and amplify what we were trying to do off the court.
02:16Jalen, do you feel, agrees your mom there that the exposure has maybe changed how this feels?
02:21And have you felt that at all today, just being here and around the event?
02:24Yeah, definitely felt it a little bit.
02:29But like mom said, it doesn't really change that much.
02:32But like you can feel the excitement.
02:34You can feel like the energy a little bit differently.
02:36But the approach to everything that we've done and gone about has been the same.
02:40And for you, I know on the court, it's always about the approach being the same.
02:43But I have to think about the name of your foundation, guys.
02:45Second round, right?
02:46Because that's always stuck out to me.
02:48And I know fans are going to see that, too.
02:50Second round is synonymous with you, Jalen, being a second round pick.
02:54I think it's always being overlooked, underestimated, right?
02:59That's always kind of been there.
03:01Now that you as a second round pick, you've become an NBA champion.
03:05Has the name of your foundation, has that changed in meaning for you?
03:08Is it maybe more meaningful for you now that you've reached the mountaintop of the NBA?
03:15No, the name still feels the same for me.
03:18It's obviously winning has helped.
03:24But like the name and our mission, everything we go about doing stays the same.
03:30I mean, the purpose is to fulfill your goals, is to achieve your goals.
03:35And so I think that the name and everything, it fits right in line.
03:38It's perfect.
03:41Yeah, I do think it's great.
03:42And it aligns so well with you.
03:44And Sandra, go back to you, because you're not just Jalen's mom.
03:48Everybody's going to say, hey, you're Jalen's mom.
03:50You're not just that.
03:51We're all so much more than one thing.
03:54But you're the co-founder and CFO of the Second Round Foundation.
03:59As this has grown and you've watched this grow, is there something that tells you, hey, we're
04:04actually really succeeding here?
04:06Is there a story with a young person where you guys do a lot of help with young people that
04:10tells you, hey, this is where the Second Round Foundation is sort of, the trajectory is
04:13really good and going upward?
04:14Is there something maybe that comes to mind for you?
04:19There's a lot that comes to mind.
04:20But if I were to pinpoint one specific outreach or point of contact is when Jalen is front and
04:31center and in person with young people.
04:33They ask him about his mindset and how does he overcome certain things.
04:40Children are really invested in understanding how does someone raise up beyond a deficit or
04:48the challenges.
04:50And I think that while getting drafted in the second round is truly not the worst thing that
04:58could happen to someone, they can connect with his climb, his uphill battle.
05:06And that's what it's all about, too, allowing children to understand that despite the circumstances,
05:12where you start doesn't mean that's where you'll finish.
05:17And he has been a beacon for that mantra, so to speak, and has connected with a lot of young
05:25people to aspire to achieve beyond their goals or beyond their wildest dreams.
05:33That mantra, I think about in helping young people.
05:37Jalen, I've been around you in the locker room at games.
05:40I've seen your press conferences, a lot of times you've talked about the magic is in the
05:44work of what you do.
05:45That's something you've talked about a lot.
05:48And your mom just talked about young people seeing that and you being able to motivate
05:51them in that way.
05:53When young people come through the foundation and now they see the work and they see the
05:56work of you now having won a championship here with the Knicks, how important is it to
06:02show them that all the unglamorous stuff, right?
06:06Because now it's the glamour.
06:07Now you've won the championship and people see it in like a Jalen Brunson NBA championship.
06:11But how important is it for you to tell young people about the work that came before that
06:16to be an NBA champion?
06:17Yeah, it's very important because it's most of your life.
06:22No one, everyone sees like the championship and sees when you're on top, but like no one
06:28sees the majority of your journey, which is the work you put in.
06:30And so it just doesn't, it doesn't, doesn't happen overnight.
06:35It's, it's, it's day after day after day.
06:37It's every uphill battle you're going through, every mental hurdle you're going through.
06:42There's so many things that go into a day to day to get you to that point.
06:47And so the journey is beautiful and I think everyone should cherish it and understand it.
06:54So when you do get to the point where you do win and you do achieve your long-term goal,
06:58it makes it that much better.
07:00Yeah.
07:00No doubt about that.
07:01I got to ask you both.
07:02What's this summer been like for you?
07:03Because it has changed.
07:06Jalen, you're shaking your head here.
07:08Yeah, I'm sure there's been a lot.
07:09There's been a lot of meteor quests.
07:10There's been a lot of different things you've had to do, but has anything changed for you
07:15this summer?
07:16What's, what's just the summer been like for you since winning the championship?
07:19Has anything changed?
07:21Not really.
07:24With me, like personally, it's been a lot though.
07:30Obviously there's a lot of obligation you have to do.
07:32A lot of things that have already structured into your calendar, a lot of things added
07:38in.
07:38So there have been, there have been a lot of things of that, but still been trying to make
07:43time for my family, still make time for my main job, recovering.
07:48And so yes, there's been a lot of added things, but things really changed for me.
07:53What about you, mom too?
07:54I don't want to, how has, has anything changed for you?
07:57And, and was this for you, what you thought it would be seeing your son get atop the NBA
08:03mountain?
08:04I don't know really what I would have expected to be at the top of the NBA mountain.
08:11And I, and I feel like as, although he's, he's there, his teammates, they're there, they
08:17still have room to grow.
08:18Believe it or not, I expect more.
08:21You sound, you sound like Jalen.
08:23That's what I know Jalen would say.
08:25I think that the team is just scratching the surface.
08:28They're just getting their legs.
08:29And because as you know, in covering the teams throughout the year, there's been peaks and
08:37valleys, you know, there's been like, we don't know what team is going to show up.
08:41And at some point in the post season, the true team showed up and it's been a, a wonderful
08:51ride.
08:51It's been hard.
08:52Um, I just think that everything that it's been busy, it's been shortened because of
08:58the long season.
08:59It's been shortened, but it's a blessing at the same time.
09:02Um, the alternative.
09:05So I'm, I'm not going to take, take anything less than that.
09:08Um, we are learning from it as a family and just trying to, um, go through the ebbs and
09:17flows and to just stay true to who we are, despite all of the fandom.
09:23And it's just really a blessing to be able to see how the team's success has brought the
09:31city together, the state.
09:33And I would say the country, because there are a lot of fans that have shown up across
09:40the country for New York, because this postseason has shown that this team can fight through
09:48adversity.
09:49You saw adversity was a word that was used a lot.
09:53Jalen, winning it, was it what you thought it would be?
09:57I know we all think about dreams and goals, and this is part of the foundation and where
10:00you talk with young people, right?
10:02Visualizing, seeing things ahead.
10:03When you looked at that, was it what you thought it would be winning an NBA championship?
10:07Uh, yes and no.
10:09Um, like you, I kind of understood what the feeling would be like, but, um, like in the,
10:18in the, in the moment that it happened, I understood like what that would be like.
10:22I knew I would be emotional.
10:23Um, just everything after that is what I wasn't expecting.
10:27Yeah, because there's a lot, like you said, there's a lot that's come out after this summer.
10:31Um, but now you finally, Jalen, get to hear the words NBA champion attached to your name
10:36for the rest of your life and your foundation, the second round foundation.
10:40I see, I see the emotion there, Ma, that you're showing.
10:42I think what you hear a lot is everybody always talks about how winning an NBA championship
10:47changes the way that people see you, right?
10:50How they'll look at you, right?
10:51Before it was your second round pick.
10:53Now you can say Jalen Brunson, NBA champion, right?
10:56Wow.
10:57Sandra Brunson, mother of an NBA champion.
10:59But I guess my question for you, Jalen, is how has becoming an NBA champion changed the
11:05way that you see yourself?
11:07It hasn't.
11:08That wouldn't do it.
11:10And it won't.
11:11It's going to be the same thing.
11:12It won't.
11:12It will be the same.
11:14Um, it's something that I get to walk around with and think about when I'm, you know,
11:23when I need to give myself a little confidence or whatever, just, uh, in certain situations.
11:28But, um, my approach and everything has to be the same.
11:31But just because I've reached the, uh, the mountaintop of winning a championship doesn't
11:36mean that, like, it's, it's over with.
11:39So I feel like there's still a lot more to, to do and a lot more that I can prove.
11:44But, um, it's 100% always going to be in my mind.
11:49It's just, it's not going to define me.
11:50And that feels like that's part of the message that you can have to young people in your foundation,
11:54right?
11:54That even if you get to your pinnacle, you mentioned that before, Jalen, that with the point
11:58of everything you've worked for, there still always is something more to do.
12:02Do have to ask, Jalen, you've become part of one of the biggest memes this summer.
12:09At, at, at, you're at Donovan Mitchell's wedding.
12:12Jalen Brown is filming you.
12:15You stare right into the camera while you're doing a little two-step.
12:19What was going on in your mind there?
12:21And did you think that would become as big as a viral meme as it ended up becoming?
12:26Not at all.
12:26Uh, I didn't, I just saw him, like, at the corner of my eye recording me.
12:30And I've known him since eighth grade, high school, like, really, like, for a long time.
12:36And, um, just didn't think anything of it.
12:40I just saw him recording me and just went along with him by evening.
12:44And then you wake up the next morning, you see all over the place.
12:46It was everywhere.
12:47Yeah.
12:48You weren't thinking anything as you're looking in the camera?
12:50Just, I don't want to say you look crazy, but it was funny.
12:52You were just focused.
12:53I wasn't, I wasn't thinking anything.
12:55I just thought it was a little funny moment.
12:58Um, and then people just ran with it.
13:01They did.
13:02They did.
13:02The internet definitely did.
13:04Um, going back to the foundation and everything here, winning a championship is obviously given
13:08to both of you an even bigger platform, right?
13:11You had before, which I'm sure you would say is a blessing, um, here.
13:15When something like that happens, do you feel like there's a greater responsibility for you
13:19to use that attention, to elevate the work that you're doing now that you have the word
13:24NBA champion attached to what you guys are doing?
13:27I think it can help, but, um, regardless of what I would accomplish, I think I would be
13:34doing something to give back anyway.
13:36And so I wouldn't, I wouldn't let it define us.
13:39I think it's important to maybe use it definitely to kind of, um, grow our outreach, but, um, to
13:47let it define us, I think that would, uh, it would help, but like, I don't think deep down
13:55is what we want to really be like our, our thing.
13:59It's, it's a cool name to add on a hundred percent.
14:01Yeah.
14:02Um, yeah.
14:02So we appreciate the name being added on.
14:04But, um, I think it's, it's, it's cool just to know that, Hey, no matter what happens with it,
14:09with us, our family or with me, um, we're the same.
14:12Um, Sandra, Jalen talked about, we saw this, everybody saw this publicly when he won the
14:18championship, how emotional he got.
14:21I'm sure it was for you too, but you saw your son when the cameras weren't around, when
14:27the rest of the media wasn't around like me and in the locker room, you saw everything
14:32with him through this entire journey.
14:34What'd you see from him in those first few hours or days following winning a championship
14:38that told you how much reaching that goal finally meant to him?
14:44Jalen is the ultimate worker.
14:47I felt like while in the moment we celebrated moments after days after, but I could see in,
14:57from my perspective that he was like, okay, next what's next?
15:04Because he's not satisfied, um, reaching the pinnacle or the mountaintop.
15:11It's great.
15:13Um, but his career is still, he has, he's still, you know, thriving in his career and it's still
15:20an uptick.
15:20I think that he's, what's the next challenge?
15:23What's the next hurdle?
15:24I saw that in him.
15:25Um, he, everyone sees him as a very focused and disciplined individual while he's on the
15:35court, off the court.
15:37He allowed himself the time to absorb the love and the attention and the appreciation that
15:45was felt from the championship.
15:47But I think in the back of his mind, he's just like, okay, what's the next thing?
15:54I think he's the type of person that when his career is over, he'll look back and appreciate
16:01everything that he and his teammates have accomplished.
16:05But while in the moment, I think he's already thinking, how can I get better?
16:10Um, and that's just something that we've instilled in our children from a very young age, um, just
16:16to always strive to be better in any and everything that you do.
16:20Um, and that's just the type of person he is.
16:24And I think that's what he was thinking days after, I'll say after the parade, after the
16:31parade, I'll give him a little time, but after the parade, he's ready.
16:34But yes, and he's just, he's just ready to attack and ready to, to formulate the program
16:40or whatever the goals are for the summer leading into the next year.
16:45So I have a couple more things for you.
16:47And you just talked about goals for the summer and Jalen, you and I were talking about this
16:50before we started recording about rehabbing from an injury and how difficult that could
16:55be.
16:55Uh, you had the wrist injury.
16:58How has that been for you?
16:59And has the rehab process taught you anything about patience that you're going through, through
17:03your, as you try to get through the off season?
17:05Uh, it's reminded me a lot about patience for sure.
17:08Um, but it's, um, it's a, it's a steady process and it's, uh, it's something that I honestly
17:15like, it is what it is and something you're going to attack every day and, um, just find
17:21a way to continue to improve.
17:23That has added to your legend that you played with the injury through the finals.
17:26Have you thought about that at all and how that has added to your legend in any way?
17:31Uh, no, I haven't, I haven't at all.
17:33Um, just, uh, I just knew that the opportunity rarely presents itself, you know, to be in
17:40a position like that.
17:41So, uh, I just wasn't going to let something, um, that seemed minor, um, takes me out.
17:49So, uh, just whatever needed to be done, just, uh, just focus on afterwards.
17:54Whatever needs to be done.
17:55Man, that is what the both of you are trying to do with the Second Round Foundation and
17:59here at your Charity Golf Classic for the fourth year.
18:02Congratulations, guys.
18:03Fourth year you guys have been doing it.
18:04I want to thank you both for sitting down with me.
18:06This was, this was beautiful.
18:08Jalen, appreciate you.
18:09Good luck with the recovery.
18:10Sandra, keep up the great work.
18:13You guys are doing great work together.
18:14And now, you guys are an NBA champion attached to you as well, which is a beautiful day.
18:19Still pinching myself.
18:19You're still pinching yourself?
18:20You're still feeling it?
18:21Still in game four.
18:22When I see, that's a good, hey, that's a good vibe to have.
18:25When I see the energy from both of you, seriously, I mean that.
18:27Salute to both of you for the work you're doing and will continue to do.
18:30And, uh, you know what?
18:31I've been talking to everybody through the summer and saying, what's up, champ?
18:34So, salute to you guys, champ.
18:35Appreciate you.
18:37For Jalen Brunson and Sandra Brunson, this is Dexter Henry signing off.
18:43And thanks for watching New York Got Game.
18:46Boom shakalaka.
18:53Boom shakalaka.
18:53Boom shakalaka.
18:55Boom shakalaka.
18:55Boom shakalaka.
18:56Boom shakalaka.
18:56Boom shakalaka.
18:56Boom shakalaka.
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