New York Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart added another chapter to their long-running comedy act on Friday night at the U.S. Open.
Hart spotted Brunson on the blue carpet at Arthur Ashe Stadium and shouted a greeting that put the reserved point guard on the defensive.
“Hi Jalen!” Hart called out.
Others nearby, including Hart’s wife Shannon and Brunson’s wife Ali, asked for a photo. Brunson’s response was instant: “No, no, no. No, no.”
The clip spread quickly among fans who have watched this dynamic. Hart is the outgoing instigator. Brunson is the straight man who knows what is coming and wants no part of it in public.
That push-and-pull is not new. The two have been close since their Villanova days, when Hart later admitted he first disliked the incoming freshman before realizing Brunson was humble and all business. They won a national title in college and, this past season, helped the Knicks capture their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Their off-court bits have become part of the package. After New York won the NBA Cup in December, a camera caught Hart poking Brunson during the trophy presentation. Months later, after the Knicks clinched the Eastern Conference, Brunson told Hart to get out of the frame during a live interview.
The U.S. Open moment fit the same pattern: Hart trying to pull his friend into the spotlight, Brunson waving him off, and both still ending up together with their partners for a picture anyway.
Brunson was at the men’s semifinal between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, seated near long-time Knicks fan Ben Stiller. The crowd roared when he appeared on the stadium screens, a reminder of how far the quiet Villanova product has come in New York.
Hart being Hart was never going to let the night pass without trying to get a rise out of him.
