Jalen Brunson delivered a 36-point Game 4 performance after a 29-point Knicks comeback, but he began by breaking down while paying tribute to Jonathan from North Carolina, a Make-A-Wish and Garden of Dreams connection whose death he learned on the day of the w
By the time Jalen Brunson sat down to talk about the Knicks’ historic 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the emotion had already arrived.
Before he discussed what New York did to erase the deficit and seize a 3-1 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. the All-Star first turned to a different kind of loss. Brunson said he wanted to share his thoughts and prayers for Jonathan from North Carolina—someone he met and spoke with last week through the Make-A-Wish foundation and the Garden of Dreams foundation. Brunson said Jonathan had a heart condition.
Brunson didn’t have much else to offer about Jonathan’s life. Details about Jonathan and his passing have not yet been revealed by Make-A-Wish. which fulfills wishes for seriously ill children. or by Garden of Dreams. another non-profit that works with Madison Square Garden’s family of companies. The Daily Mail sought further information from both organizations. but one person in touch with the family asked for privacy at this time.
Speaking from behind thick black sunglasses, Brunson explained how the connection began in the days leading up to the Finals. He said he was asked to make a video and reach out to Jonathan. “Something in my mind just told me to try and get him on Facetime and get to chat with him. ” Brunson said. “Got the pleasure to do so. It was a quick call. but it was worth it.” He added: “Just want to say my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”.
Brunson ended his tribute with a brief, solemn message: “Just finding out some news about him today. May God rest his soul.”
Only after that did the basketball begin. In the same game where the Knicks turned the Finals on its head, Brunson finished with 36 points as New York took control of the series at 3-1. The comeback set the tone, but one late sequence helped turn the pressure into momentum.
Brunson, a 29-year-old listed at 6ft 2in, hit a pull-up 3-pointer over 7ft 5in Victor Wembanyama with 2:20 remaining in the fourth. The basket cut the Spurs’ lead to one point and helped set up OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left.
Brunson’s late-game touch has become part of the Knicks’ identity in this run. After his Game 4 effort, he described his role as more than scoring. “My parents raised me to never be a follower, always be a leader,” Brunson said. “I feel like it’s something that’s helped me grow as a person. and it’s a role I enjoy having. I enjoy trying to set the table. I enjoy being able to lead by example and lead vocally, as well. But it’s the chemistry with my teammates that allows me to do so.”.
A 29-point comeback and a 3-1 series lead would be enough to define any night in a Finals. For Brunson, though, the first story wasn’t the scoreboard—it was the boy he’d talked to the week before.
Brunson also has his own charity work rooted in that same belief in showing up. In 2023, he launched his Second Round Foundation with his mother, Sandra. Named after the round of the NBA Draft in which the younger Brunson was picked in 2018. the organization supports academic and sports programs through events that include a golf tournament at The Westchester Country Club.
The Knicks now have a chance to turn emotion into history. Game 5 of the NBA Finals will take place on Saturday in San Antonio, where New York will have the opportunity to clinch its first championship since 1973.
In a city that has carried Brunson from fan favorite to something bigger amid the Knicks’ current 13-1 postseason run, Wednesday’s performance landed with a second layer: a tribute spoken before the shot-making, and a reminder that even the biggest nights in sports can begin with heartbreak.
Jalen Brunson Knicks NBA Finals Game 4 Spurs Victor Wembanyama OG Anunoby Make-A-Wish Garden of Dreams Second Round Foundation Madison Square Garden 1973 championship