NBA star Jalen Brunson says his friends knew exactly what not to ask of him in high school

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New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson says the right environment made it easy for him to put basketball first in high school.

In a joint appearance with his mother on the "Things No One Tells You" podcast, Brunson said the support he received from those around him helped lay the foundation for his success.

Brunson said his parents taught him that he only had the time and energy to excel at two of three things in high school: grades, basketball, or a social life.

"School was clearly wasn't an option to say no to, so it was really between basketball and my social life — and I chose basketball," Brunson told podcast host Lindsay Czarniak.

He said his days revolved around keeping up with his homework and putting in the time the sport required.

"And then after that, I could be a kid," Brunson said. "I could do what I want."

Having friends who understood his priorities helped him stay on track, he said.

"I had a great group of friends who knew my goals, who knew what I had to do before I could do anything," Brunson said. "They never pressured me into skipping a day to go hang out, whatever. They made sure I did what I had to do."

Those friends are still in his life today, he said.

"It was really important for me to understand that my surroundings were just as important as my decisions," Brunson added.

In June, Brunson led the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 53 years. He was also named Finals MVP after scoring 45 points in the team's 94-90 Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The NBA player has previously spoken about how the people close to him helped him stay disciplined.

Brunson said his parents taught him from a young age that there are no shortcuts in life. In a 2019 interview with ESPN, he recalled how, during his freshman year, they began leaving notes around the house reminding him that "the magic's in the work."

"They'd put it on the bathroom mirror, on the garage door before I left for school, on the refrigerator. They put it everywhere they knew I'd look. They'd send me a picture of it. They wanted me to understand as long as you work hard, eventually things are going to go well," he said.

In an appearance on the "Come and Talk 2 Me" podcast in 2024, Brunson said his team at Villanova helped him develop the discipline that college basketball demanded.

"I had good habits, but I needed better ones because college is different. So being able to be held accountable by the older guys on the team and by Coach Wright and stuff, it definitely helped me," Brunson said.

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Amanda is a senior lifestyle reporter at Business Insider's Singapore bureau.Her reporting explores how people navigate major life transitions, including career changes, relocation, and retirement, with a particular focus on the experiences of those living in Asia. She also writes about travel, culture, wellness, and relationships.In 2025, she won the Singapore Press Club's Rising Stars Young Digital Journalist Award.She previously worked as a writer and video producer at a content marketing agency in Singapore. She graduated from the University at Buffalo with a BA (Hons) in Sociology.