When it comes to making decisions about multimillion-dollar assets, you’d assume ultra-wealthy stars rely on financial advisors or even their rich peers for money advice. But actually Knicks captain Jalen Brunson turns to his family for financial guidance—and so do Reese Witherspoon and Queen Latifah.
“Even to this day—I know it’s crazy—if I feel like I’m making a big purchase, I’m gonna call my parents,” Brunson recently told the WSJ. “I was like, ‘What do you think about this?”
Despite earning millions and being a “grown” man, Brunson said he isn’t above asking his parents for a second opinion. “I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing,” he added.
He was one of the top 50 highest-paid athletes in the NBA, according to ESPN, earning a salary of around $34,944,001 for the 2025-2026 season alone. But even stars with flush bank accounts still need trusted financial sounding boards. His father, an NBA veteran with nine seasons under his belt, and mother, a non-profit CFO and seasoned litigation consultant, have decades of financial wisdom to share. And their advice will come in handy as Brunson grows his financial empire beyond brand partnerships and NBA contracts.
“I still give myself those checks, to make sure I’m doing everything right, because it’s important for me to have this for as obviously as long as I can, and for my future generations,” Brunson continued.
Brunson’s financial portfolio: $156 million Knicks contract, brand deals, and restaurant equity
The 29-year-old Knicks legend has been amassing a diverse portfolio of wealth, from media ventures to equity investments. And one of the key pillars of his wealth is his NBA salary: Brunson’s played for the Knicks since 2022, and in 2024, he signed a four-year $156 million contract extension.
But he could have waited another summer and signed on for five years instead; that amounted to $100 million less than his potential earnings. But Brunson’s financial sacrifice may have led the Knicks to the NBA championship title: he resigned to give the Knicks more wiggle room to build a stronger roster of players, and last month, they finally brought home their first NBA title since 1973.
“Everyone looks at it as leaving money on the table, and so, while it is to a certain degree, it was the most I could sign for at the time,” Brunson told the WSJ. But thanks to his years in the NBA, he said he has financial cushioning to take the blow. “Just having that in my back pocket—knowing I’m good, the family’s good—I can play free.”
And Brunson isn’t letting the $100 million he passed up on slow him down. Brunson also co-hosts his podcast The Roommates Show with fellow Knicks player Josh Hart, and joined $1 billion fast-casual chain Just Salad as an equity investor and long-term partner earlier this year. In 2023, he also cofounded youth advocacy non-profit Second Round Foundation with his mother, Sandra Brunson.
The Knicks superstar has also worked with many household brands that have bolstered his off-court earnings, including the likes of Nike, American Express, AT&T, DoorDash, BodyArmor, and Delta. But looking ahead, he’s setting his sights on more calculated, prolonged investments that will build his nest egg for life.
“The endorsement deals are great. It’s kind of getting your foot in the door. I think at this point now going forward, I am looking for equity deals,” Brunson explained. “I am looking to further my business outside of basketball, prepare myself for life after basketball. I think those are more important, those are more long-term.”
“And yes, those may have risks, but I think I’m at that point now. I’ve saved a lot, I’ve done a lot. So, how can I try and improve myself off the court?”
Now, he’s sharing his financial know-how by helping fellow athletes as well as young, up-and-coming stars plan out their financial futures. Brunson is a member of JPMorgan Chase’s Athlete Council, which aims to help all sports players—from seasoned professionals to high school standouts signing NIL deals—best manage the wealth that comes in their often short-lived athletic careers.
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