Jalen Brunson shuts down 'foul baiter' narrative with challenge to defenders

Since joining the New York Knicks prior to the 2022-23 NBA season, Jalen Brunson has blossomed into one of the best guards in the Eastern Conference, and the NBA as a whole.

But, when it comes to his game, one area that detractors will often point to is his tendency to try to draw fouls. Due to his affinity for leaning into defenders and trying to create contact on drives, Brunson has earned a reputation as a “foul baiter.”

The star guard is pushing back on that narrative, though. During a recent appearance on the Underground Lounge, Brunson denied being a foul baiter and challenged defenders not to reach when guarding him.

“I play by the rules. I’m not a foul baiter,” Brunson said. “I just play by the rules. Be disciplined on defense. Don’t reach.”

Specifically, Brunson is often criticized for jumping backwards into defenders after he has already gotten past them, but he pushed back on that notion too.

“I don’t jump backwards. Go watch the film. I jump straight up. … If you’re running full speed, I’m going to shoot and if you foul me, you foul me. I’m not saying, ‘Oh, I need to get fouled.’ I’m going to see if there’s contact, right, and then I’m shooting the ball regardless. I’m going to score.”

The hosts of the show, Lou Williams and Spank Horton, pushed back on Brunson a bit, claiming that they’ve witnessed him jump backwards in order to draw contact before. Many fans were probably thinking the same thing too, because Brunson’s attempts to create contact with a defender on his hip certainly look deliberate sometimes, like in the play below:

Jalen Brunson is SHAMELESS 😭 pic.twitter.com/uRKUinsSY0

But, while Brunson’s style of play might not be the most aesthetically pleasing, it is effective. He’s finished top-15 in MVP voting in each of the last three seasons, and he’s in the midst of another extremely productive campaign for New York.

This season, Brunson is averaging 29.1 points, 6.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game and he has the Knicks sitting second in the Eastern Conference standings after making it all the way to the conference finals last season.

So, while one might take issue with the way that Brunson goes about producing points and conducting New York’s offense, it’s hard to argue against the results.