“It’s Against My Religion”: Jalen Brunson Refuses Fan Request at Fanatics Fest Due to Major Rivalry

Fanatics Fest is back in New York City, as it was recently held at the Javits Center. The event is typically a four-day sports convention wherein fans get to meet and greet some of their favorite athletes across all major sports leagues. Since Fanatics Fest was in NYC, one of the premier headliners of the event was none other than New York Knicks champion Jalen Brunson.

During one of Brunson's fan interactions, he was asked to sign a New York Giants helmet. Despite the Giants being a New York-based team, Brunson is widely known to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan. The Giants and Eagles are bitter rivals in the history of the NFL. Their rivalry has been ongoing for over 90 years.

Because of this history, Brunson tried his hardest to pledge allegiance to the Eagles. Ultimately, he had no other choice but to sign the NY Giants helmet.

Here's what he had to say upon seeing the helmet:

"Wait, I am not signing that," Brunson said. "It's against my religion."

While signing the helmet, the fan asked if they could convert him to a Giants fan instead. Brunson hilariously responded with a quick declination.

"Can we convert you?" the fan asked.

"No," Brunson quickly responded.

Aside from Brunson's meet and greet with some fans, he and his Knicks teammate, Josh Hart, did a live taping of their podcast, The Roommates Show, at the event's main stage. The audience in attendance gave the Knicks duo a warm reception, showering Brunson with MVP chants.

According to other sources, Brunson has also set a new record in autograph and photo op prices. He now holds the record for the single most expensive autograph and photo op package in Fanatics Fest, priced at $937.40. This is a massive leap from a couple of years ago, when his package cost $169.

Jalen Brunson Speaks Up on the Challenges the Knicks are Set to Face Next Season

After 53 years of waiting, the New York Knicks are once again NBA champions. This is thanks to the efforts of Jalen Brunson and company. Brunson has always been seen as a 1B Player. While undoubtedly a star, many believed he wasn't capable of leading his team to success.

However, Brunson proved his doubters wrong and led the Knicks to their first championship in a little over half a century. Now the reigning NBA champions, JB understands the challenges of defending the title. In a recent interview with Brunson at Fanatics Fest, the NBA Finals MVP shared his thoughts on the obstacles his team is set to face next season.

"It'll be different for sure," Brunson said. "Now winning (the NBA title), it's an even bigger challenge. Now it's a target on your back. Now players and teams have changed and gotten better. ... It's going to be very interesting at training camp to see where our minds are at. But I'm excited for the challenge."

To Jalen's point regarding teams getting better, we've seen his Eastern Conference rivals like the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers make significant upgrades to their rosters. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now part of the Heat, while Jaylen Brown joins the duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Then there's the possibility of LeBron James making his return to the East. If that ends up happening, the Knicks will undoubtedly have a run for their money.