The New York Knicks won the NBA championship on June 13, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5, with Jalen Brunson named Finals MVP after a 45-point performance. Shortly after, ABC’s Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson posted a side-by-side photo of herself and the point guard on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Congrats to my cousin and the Knicks. What. A. Series.” The internet did exactly what the internet does.
Are Quinta Brunson and Jalen Brunson related?
No. The two share a last name but come from different families, per Hello!. Quinta, 36, was born and raised in West Philadelphia. Jalen, 29, grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he was raised in a basketball family. His father, Rick Brunson, is a former NBA player and currently an assistant coach with the Knicks. The “cousin” post was a joke.
What do Quinta Brunson and Jalen Brunson actually have in common?
More than you’d expect. Both grew up on the East Coast, both have achieved the kind of crossover fame that makes their shared last name feel like more than coincidence, and both of their fathers happen to be named Rick, per Hello! In Quinta’s case, her father Rick managed parking lots. In Jalen’s, Rick Brunson played in the NBA and now coaches alongside his son.
Quinta is the creator and star of ABC’s Abbott Elementary, for which she has won multiple Emmy Awards, and got her start making viral videos before transitioning into television. Her character on the show, Janine Teagues, is notably a basketball fan, once dressing as James Harden for Halloween, oversized jersey and fake beard included, per Hello!
Jalen, meanwhile, just capped what may be the defining chapter of his career, leading the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years and taking home Finals MVP honors in the process.
Featured image photo credit: Photo: Frank Micelotta, Courtesy of ABC
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