New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson confronts Mark Cuban over parents ‘jab’ before Dallas Mavericks owner apologizes

NEW York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has confronted Mark Cuban after the Dallas Mavericks boss took what he felt was a dig at his parents.

The NBA All-Star, 27, kickstarted his career in Dallas after Cuban’s Mavericks drafted him 33rd overall out of Villanova in 2018.

YouTube/Roommates Show

YouTube/Roommates Show

Brunson’s time in Texas lasted just four years, however, after he opted to leave as a free agent, signing a four-year deal worth $104 million with the Knicks .

Fast forward to April 2023, and Cuban, a part-owner of the Mavericks, controversially said that negotiation with Brunson “went south” after “Rick (Jalen’s dad) took over, when the parent took over, or parents took over,” as per the New York Post .

The elder Brunson joined the Knicks’ coaching staff as an assistant 10 days before the former Mavericks star signed.

Cuban’s comments clearly didn’t go unnoticed, as over a year later, Brunson brought them up when the Shark Tank star appeared on his podcast, the Roommates Show .

The 66-year-old vehemently denied that his comments were meant as “a jab” at Brunson’s dad, admitting he “didn’t want to go there here.”

While Brunson then added that he has since gotten over it, Cuban did go on to apologize.

“I apologize, if it put you in a certain way, that wasn’t the intention,” he said.

“But it was hard to deal with. It was a unique negotiation in a lot of different ways.”

Cuban added that he’s “happy” for Brunson, who he labeled “the king of New York,” adding that they still “keep in touch.”

“There’s definitely no hard feelings at all,” he later commented.

“But it’s always interesting when your dad and I walk by each other, you know, it’s just like he gives me the eye, I give him the eye, then we smile and then keep on walking, right?

“And so all is well that ends well.”

The NBA wound up penalizing the Knicks for speaking to Brunson before the free agency window had opened, losing the team a second-round draft pick in 2025.

Brunson’s career has hit new heights in New York, averaging 26.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds across his two seasons with the Knicks.

He also wound up signing a new four-year extension with the Knicks this past offseason.

The deal is worth a total of $156.5 million and will kick in come the 2025 season.

As for Dallas, they reached the NBA Finals in 2024, losing to the Boston Celtics 4-1.

And while Cuban had a hand in their success, he is no longer the majority owner of the franchise.

In 2023, he sold his majority stake to the Adelson and Dumont families – bosses of the Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Cuban remains in charge of the team’s basketball operations.

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