Jalen Brunson may not have much left to say to his critics, but he isn’t exactly feeling sorry for people who did not treat him with the proper respect during his NBA career.
Brunson sat down with SI for an interview and was shown a few photos from his career, including one of him with Luka Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks. Brunson said Doncic is still “my guy” and that he loves him “to death.”
That prompted a comment about how many fans believe the Mavericks “fumbled” Brunson and Doncic by failing to build around them and ultimately letting both go. Tellingly, Brunson smirked and offered a fairly understated response.
“They made decisions and I’ll leave it at that,” Brunson said.
“I love him to death.”@jalenbrunson1 speaks on his relationship with @lukadoncic 💙 pic.twitter.com/TWLZiVQ7Lt
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 2, 2026
The Mavericks actually got Brunson and Doncic as part of the same draft class in 2018. The Mavericks had the opportunity to sign him on an affordable deal in 2021-22, but dragged their feet and wound up losing him to the Knicks in free agency. Doncic, of course, was traded in 2025 in a deal that has been widely panned. The Mavericks should have had both of them as the core of their franchise, and now they have neither.
Brunson has held his tongue when it comes to those who made such decisions. Now that he is an NBA champion, he does not even really need to say anything.
