Jalen Brunson has been the Knicks’ main leader throughout their playoff run, consistently stepping up when it matters most.
He has earned accolades from many former players, and that respect extends to NBA legend Gary Payton, who made it clear that he isn’t ready to take many players over Brunson.
Gary Payton Names the Only Two NBA Stars He Would Take Over Jalen Brunson
In the latest episode of the “Game Over” podcast, host Max Kellerman asked Payton if there were any current NBA player he would choose over Brunson right now. Payton didn’t mention the 2026 NBA MVP and the Oklahoma City Thunder phenom Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
He also overlooked every other player who received MVP consideration this season, including Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Dončić, Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell.
Instead, Payton instantly took the Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards’ name.
“Edwards, I’ll take him over,” Payton said. “Can do a lot of things… I’ll take Anthony Edwards over him…Well, it’s like, you know, now but the way he’s playing, he would have to be the second player in the Finals.”
Gary Payton says Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards are the ONLY players he’s taking over Jalen Brunson right now:
(Via Game Over) pic.twitter.com/3rzN8Bv2YW
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 4, 2026
Edwards averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 61 games this season. One reason Payton may value Edwards so highly is his two-way impact, as he consistently takes on tough defensive assignments while also producing offensively. He averaged 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game this season.
Though Payton is a strong believer in Edwards, he also placed another superstar ahead of Brunson: Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry.
“I would take Steph Curry, too,” Payton said. “I think I would take Steph over Brunson right now. I think Steph Curry would make a lot of baskets, a lot of shots, a lot of things. He’s coming off picks and stuff like that. He’s gonna make big-time shots, you know, I’m saying I mean Brunson done the same thing.”
Curry played in 43 regular-season games this season and remained an elite scorer, averaging 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Golden State Warriors. He also shot 46.8% from the field, 92.3% from the free-throw line, and 39.3% from three-point range.
Neither Curry nor Edwards qualified for the MVP race because they fell short of the NBA’s 65-game requirement, but their phenomenal level of play was still evident throughout the season.
Since joining their respective teams, Curry and Edwards have quickly established themselves as the cornerstones of their franchises. The same can be said for Brunson, who has transformed the Knicks into a consistent playoff contender since arriving four years ago while also becoming the team’s primary scoring option.
Brunson has led the Knicks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. He opened the championship series with a 105-95 road win over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, finishing with a game-high 30 points, including 19 in the second half.
