Jalen Brunson fired back at ‘1A’ critics as trading card surfaces after Knicks’ NBA Finals win

Jalen Brunson might not be clapping back at critics with words, but he’s not against putting it in writing.

The Knicks captain, fresh off leading New York to its first title in 53 years, has refused to address naysayers who have said his 6-foot-2 stature would prevent him from leading a team to a title.

“I didn’t respond to them then, I’m damn sure not gonna respond to them now,” Brunson said moments after New York’s NBA Finals-clinching performance in Game 5 on Saturday.

Jalen Brunson holds up the NBA Finals MVP trophy after helping lead the Knicks to the franchise’s first championship in 53 years. Getty Images

But a recently surfaced, one-of-a-kind trading card depicting the Knicks superstar features his autograph, along with the inscription “1A” — a nod to comments made by some people around the game who questioned whether he could ever be the best player on a championship team.

The 1-of-1 card, which came from the 2023-24 season, is part of Panini’s National Treasures series highlighting players’ “notable nicknames.”

The timing of Brunson signing the card aligns with WNBA legend Becky Hammon, the current head coach of the WNBA’s Aces, shooting down the notion of the Villanova alum being a “1A” caliber star.

“They’re, they’re well-coached, they’re going to be on their defensive game, but at the end of the day, they don’t have a dude,” Hammon said during a December 2023 appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”

“You gotta have a dude, you gotta have a 1A dude, and they’re missing that at the end of the day if we’re just getting down to brass tacks.”

Hammon previously said the 6-foot-2 Brunson did not have the stature to be the best player on a championship-winning team. Getty Images

Hammon has been far from the lone critic, with Warriors star Draymond Green and sports personality Colin Cowherd among those to doubt Brunson’s championship pedigree.

However, that tune has changed in light of this year’s playoff run, capped off by Brunson notching 45 points in last Saturday’s Game 5, securing Finals MVP and his first NBA championship.

Given recent sales of other 1-of-1 Brunson autograph cards, this “1A” inscription will likely command a pretty penny if and when it becomes available for sale.

On Tuesday alone, two different one-of-a-kind autographed Brunson cards sold on eBay, with a 2024 Panini card featuring his signature and a piece of his game-worn jersey selling for $18,600.

Other sales this week have seen similar Brunson cards sell for anywhere from $4,999 to $25,000, according to CardLadder.