Jalen Brunson reveals wrist injury details; what it means for Knicks.

After the second game of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers in late May, Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson was not at full strength. He had injured his wrist in the second half of that game, a win that gave New York a 2-0 series lead. Brunson continued to play in the next two conference finals games and all five games of the NBA Finals against the Spurs, averaging 29.7 points and 4.9 assists across seven playoff appearances. His wrist was often bandaged, but no official disclosure about the injury was made by the team during the postseason.

It wasn’t until July 7 that Brunson underwent surgery on the left wrist, a development reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. The report noted that the NBA Finals MVP was expected to return to basketball activities later in the summer.

Details about when the injury began remained sparse throughout the playoffs. In a recent appearance on ESPN New York, Brunson revealed that the injury occurred during the second game against Cleveland, but he admitted he did not know exactly when or how it happened. “I don’t–there isn’t a play where I remember it happening. I just remember being at the free-throw line in the third or fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals and my wrist was starting to feel weak,” Brunson said. “And I was like, ‘Where is this thing coming from?’ And, yeah, from that point it was trying to figure out what was going on, how I can proceed––because I wasn’t gonna get anything done during that time.”

Despite the wrist issue, Brunson played through the postseason and later spoke about the condition of his wrist. He has been seen wearing a sling and a small brace at public appearances, including the ESPYs in Las Vegas. Brunson won Best Male Athlete for the previous year, beating out notable contenders such as NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, Argentina soccer icon Lionel Messi, and Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. He expressed heartfelt gratitude during his acceptance speech, thanking fans, family, and teammates for their unwavering support.

Looking ahead, Brunson is expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp. He has indicated that the wrist has been healing on schedule, and recent appearances suggest a positive trajectory toward being 100% for the upcoming season. The focus remains on ensuring full strength and stability so he can continue to perform at the high level that helped drive the Knicks deep into the playoffs.

In summary, Brunson played through a significant left-wrist injury during the postseason, with surgery following the championship run. His commitment and performance were central to New York’s playoff push, and the organization anticipates a full recovery as he prepares for training camp.