Ex-Knicks Star Settles Jalen Brunson vs. Derrick Rose Debate With Bold Take
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The Brunson-Rose debate usually splits along two lines. One is prime explosiveness. The other is what actually got finished. Rick Brunson picked prime Derrick Rose in a one-on-one over his own son. Raymond Felton just picked Jalen Brunson.
Felton said the ranking is not about who collected more MVPs.
“It’s not about MVP or more, I think it’s just off whole totality the whole body of work,” Felton said on To The Baha (h/t) NBA Courtside. “Jalen Brunson left Dallas from a role to go and be the number one option and his team got better every year they got further and further they got chances then they won as him as the number one option."
"With D-Rose career end the way it did being he wasn’t able to accomplish the things we knew he was going to be able to do, yes," he added. "I have to put Jalen Brunson in front of him. Jalen Brunson has done more.”
Rose was the youngest MVP in league history and the engine of those Chicago teams. Injuries changed the ending. Felton didn't pretend that the peak disappeared. He asserted that the title Brunson delivered as New York’s first option is what makes him come out on top.
Brunson left a Mavericks bench role, took the Knicks’ offense, and ended a 53-year drought with him as Finals MVP. Rose later played in New York, too, which is why this comparison lives in the city.
Raymond Felton Puts Jalen Brunson Ahead of Derrick Rose Because of the Championship as the No. 1 Option
Jalen Brunson was a role player in Dallas. He became a No. 1 option in New York, which made deeper playoff runs each year. Then winning a championship as the main man. That sequence is rare, but Felton treated it as better than an MVP that never got a ring.
He left room for the tragedy in Rose’s story. “The things we knew he was going to be able to do” is the sentence that keeps Rose sacred. That didn't stop Felton from moving him down. Done more is the line he would not walk back.
An ex-Knicks star settled the Jalen Brunson vs. Derrick Rose debate by choosing a ring over the peak that injuries stole.
Ubong Archibong is an NBA writer at BasketballNews, bringing over two years of experience in basketball coverage. Having previously worked with BasketballNews, Sportskeeda and FirstSportz, he has developed a strong foundation in delivering timely and engaging content around the league. His coverage focuses on game analysis, player performances, and evolving narratives across the National Basketball Association. Blending statistical insight with storytelling, Ubong aims to go beyond the immediate headline by placing performances and moments within a broader context, helping readers better understand the dynamics shaping the game. His work prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and a fan-first approach that connects audiences to both the action and the personalities behind it. Before joining BasketballNews, Ubong covered the NBA and WNBA across multiple platforms, building experience in fast-paced reporting and deadline-driven publishing. His background in content writing has strengthened his ability to balance speed with accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable coverage for a global audience.
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