Shaquille O’Neal acknowledges Charles Barkley on Jalen Brunson’s impact

Following the New York Knicks’ championship-clinching victory in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals, Shaquille O’Neal admitted on ESPN's Inside the NBA that Jalen Brunson's signing with the team in 2022 was the best free-agent move in NBA history. O’Neal acknowledged his previous skepticism about Brunson, who earned Finals MVP honors after scoring 45 points in the series-clinching game. The Knicks secured their first title since 1973, thriving under Brunson's significant contributions over the past four seasons, where he has substantially increased his scoring and playmaking numbers compared to his time with the Dallas Mavericks.

• 4:00 PMYahoo Sports — Shaquille O’Neal concedes Charles Barkley was right about Jalen Brunson