Jalen Brunson still not a superstar even after winning 2026 NBA Championship, says Gilbert Arenas

Jalen Brunson doesn’t fall into Gilbert Arenas’ definition of an NBA superstar.

After leading the New York Knicks to the 2026 NBA Championship, Jalen Brunson has become a cult hero for the people of NYC.

As a result, many believe that Brunson has now entered the stratosphere to become an NBA superstar. Unfortunately, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas doesn’t seem to think so.

Gilbert Arenas says Jalen Brunson won’t be an NBA superstar before landing a signature shoe deal

During his appearance at Fanatics Fest 2026 NYC, Arenas was asked if Brunson is now a superstar after ending the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought.

“No, but he could be. You got the Jalen Brunson shoes? Did you go get the new Jalen Brunson shoes? You don’t have him, right?” Arenas said.

He added, “No matter how many MVPs you win, you’re not going to be that guy as a superstar. It’s just, can you sell product? I studied what it takes to be a superstar. So I know what they’re looking for.”

Now, that’s the definition of a controversial take for multiple reasons. For starters, Arenas also took a shot at Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic as Agent Zero, claiming he’s not a superstar because of his inability to sell shoes.

Coming back to Brunson, Arenas is entirely wrong because the Knicks star was offered a signature shoe line by Nike, but he denied it. Why? To honor the legacy of the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Keeping that in mind, Arenas should apologize for his comments sooner rather than later. Otherwise, Knicks fans would ensure that Agent Zero is called out for as long as possible.

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