ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith declared that New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “literally saved the NBA” from what he described as a looming league-wide transformation centered around San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.
Smith’s remarks were published on June 18, 2026, by the New York Post. In the article, the broadcaster said Brunson’s emergence prevented an anticipated “Wemby evolution,” a reference to the 7-foot-4 French phenom whose combination of height, shooting range and rim protection has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s greatest big men.
While Smith did not provide specific examples of how Brunson averted that shift, he credited the 27-year-old guard’s performance for preserving the NBA’s current style of play.
Brunson averaged career highs across the board during the 2025-26 regular season and steered New York to its second consecutive 50-win campaign. Wembanyama, meanwhile, completed his first NBA season with San Antonio, leading all rookies in scoring, rebounds and blocked shots.
Smith maintained that without Brunson’s rise, teams around the league might have reoriented their strategies to mirror the size-first blueprint embodied by Wembanyama. Instead, he argued, Brunson reaffirmed the value of elite guard play.
Source: New York Post
