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Among the 30 fan bases in the NBA, the New York Knicks have one of the largest followings, and they are known to be especially passionate about their team. So when Knicks star Jalen Brunson led the franchise to its first championship in 53 years, it didn’t take long for Knicks fans to start crowning him as the “King” of their city. But when asked about his standing in the city, Brunson denied his royal status. In fact, according to the star point guard, he will never call himself the “King” of New York, preferring instead to keep things humble and avoid letting his ego become a distraction. “I’ve never called myself the King of New York. I will never call myself the King of New York, but I feel like it’s — I don’t know. For me to call myself that, I feel like that’s obviously it’s ‘eh’ and to say things like that… like just imagine I get on this call with you, right? I’m like, ‘Yo, you know, King of New York’s here.’ Whatever, whatever. You guys are going to look like, ‘What the fu*k, this dude is so self-centered.’ Like, no. I just find a way to kind of be the same because of the people around me,” said Brunson on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “Like, I have the same people I’ve had around since high school and my closest friends from college. Like, it’s always been close-knit, and I kept it that way, and they keep me humble. But it’s a true, true credit to my parents.” Winning a title isn’t something that comes easily, and it’s even harder still to win a second straight. For the Knicks, the risk of a “championship hangover” is very real, but Brunson is doing his part to keep egos in check and ensure his team approaches next season with the same urgency they had in the last one. It’s through these efforts that Brunson shows his value as a leader, and it’s no surprise that he’s become such a beloved member of the franchise. Before the Knicks even won the Finals, Brunson was worshipped by their fans. With the heart of a champion and a relentless drive to win, he exemplified everything the Knicks wanted in their franchise star, and they clung to him as their last hope to turn the franchise around after years of dysfunction. So when he led the Knicks to the title this past summer, it forever immortalized his legacy as a hero. With averages of 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game in the series, Brunson even won Finals MVP for his performance, proving that he is, in fact, their leader both on and off the court. But instead of letting the success get to his head, Jalen wants to stay consistent with who he’s always been: a humble man and team-first player. As someone who still has the same circle of friends he did in college, Jalen Brunson is as authentic as it gets, and he won’t let his own glory get in the way of his team’s success. Hopefully, that same mentality spreads to the other players, and the Knicks can build a championship culture that rivals some of the best in the league.