Jalen Brunson is enjoying everything that comes with winning an NBA championship. He will be etched into league history as the guy who led the New York Knicks on one of the most dominant title runs ever. However, Brunson also made history off the court after the Knicks won their first ring since 1973.
Jalen Brunson Partners with Famous New York Food Company
On June 30, Just Salad, a healthy restaurant chain originating in New York, announced a long-term partnership with Brunson. Both parties contribute to their own respective histories with this move. This is Just Salad’s first collaboration with a professional athlete and Brunson’s first time having equity and a partnership with a restaurant.
“A meeting of two New York icons united by a genuine shared commitment to health accessibility, quality, performance, and winning,” the company wrote in their press release.
Just Salad, as the name suggests, serves healthy, sustainable meals like “salads, wraps, warm bowls, market plates, soups, and smoothies” to its customers. Brunson serves as a great partner in this regard, as professional athletes cannot perform at their full potential without proper nutrition.
The three-time All-Star said he has been “a fan for a long time” of Just Salad.
“When I started thinking about owning equity in a restaurant brand, I knew I wanted it to be more than just putting my name on something. I wanted to partner with a company whose values matched mine, and that was making a real impact in the communities it serves. Just Salad checked every box,” said Brunson.
The New York connection is certainly an important bonus. The company started in the city that never sleeps and continues to “invest in this city.” Brunson calls New York home and wanted to partner with Just Salad for this very reason.
According to Nick Krenner, founder and CEO of Just Salad, this partnership is just as meaningful to the organization as it is to Brunson.
“Jalen embodies everything Just Salad stands for: discipline, authenticity, and a relentless commitment to doing things the right way … Just Salad is on a strong growth trajectory – and having Jalen alongside us will only accelerate that further,” said Krenner.
Brunson certainly has the discipline and relentlessness to find success, even if the road there is bumpy. The Dallas Mavericks took Brunson with the No. 33 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Many teams passed up on him, and Dallas even let him go in free agency before the 2022-23 campaign.
Four years later, Brunson proved the Mavericks wrong for letting him walk, as he took home the 2026 Finals MVP. Brunson is now bringing this championship-winning mindset to Just Salad off the court.
