May 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the third quarter of game one of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
New York Knicks superstar point guard Jalen Brunson needs surgery on his left wrist to rectify an injury that he played through toward the latter portions of a championship-winning season.
Shams Charania of ESPN was first to report on the procedure, adding that Brunson will be able to return to basketball activities later this summer, meaning there is no threat of missing any sort of time next year.
The injury did little to slow Brunson down. He remained the catalyst of a Knicks team that put together one of the more dominant showings in NBA playoff history, going 16-3 with a 13-game postseason win streak, on the way to a first championship in 53 years.
Brunson averaged 28.4 points and 6.1 assists per game during the playoffs, winning both Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP honors. He put forth one of the greatest single-game performances in franchise history in the clinching Game 5 of the NBA Finals down in San Antonio against the Spurs, dropping 45 points in yet another comeback victory.
There had been no indication that he was battling through a wrist injury. With no additional wrapping in the area, he wore only his customary left-arm sleeve. There were also no signs of a wrap or bandage during his few recent public appearances, including the team’s championship parade late last month and Sunday’s World Cup Round-of-16 match at MetLife Stadium between Brazil and Norway.
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