Jalen Brunson has become arguably not only a top 10 player in the league but also one of the most clutch hoopers in recent memory. Brunson’s ability to take over games at his size is truly remarkable. In this article, we will look at Brunson’s 2025 season and, more importantly, the Jalen Brunson shoes we’ve seen this season.
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Jalen Brunson’s 2024–25 NBA season was a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and clutch performance. The Knicks came into the season with very high expectations after the previous year’s success. Even though the Knicks weren’t much better during the regular season, they took a giant step forward during the Playoffs, and the main reason for their success was Brunson himself.
Regular Season
Brunson’s regular-season statistics were nothing short of impressive. Over 65 games, he averaged 26.0 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game, shooting 48.8% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc. His efficiency and playmaking abilities earned him a second consecutive All-Star and All-NBA Second Team selection. Statistically speaking, he made no clear advancement, but numbers alone don’t tell the whole story.
Both his leadership skills and his ability to perform in the clutch saw evident improvements. He consistently orchestrated the Knicks’ offense, making critical decisions and setting the tempo. His ability to read defenses and adapt in real-time made him a formidable opponent and a reliable cornerstone for the team.
Jalen Brunson also solidified his reputation as one of the league’s premier closers. He was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year for the 2024–25 season, leading the league in made clutch field goals (52) and ranking second in total clutch points (156). Brunson also averaged a league-best 5.6 points per game in clutch situations, shooting 51.5% from the field and 84.0% from the free-throw line during these critical moments. Not bad.
Playoffs
In the postseason, Brunson elevated his game further. Across 15 playoff games, he has averaged 29.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. His scoring prowess was particularly notable in clutch situations, where he averaged 5.5 points per game on over 50% shooting, a feat unmatched in NBA history.
One of his standout performances came in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Despite early foul trouble and a challenging shooting night, Brunson returned late in the fourth quarter to hit a pivotal floater that broke a 98–98 tie, followed by two crucial free throws to seal a 106–100 victory . His resilience and poise under pressure exemplified his moniker as “Mr. Clutch.”
With all this being said, here comes the most important question:
What Shoes Does Jalen Brunson Wear?
Jalen has been a Kobe guy through and through. Ever since his days at Villanova, Jalen has always shown a predilection towards Kobe models, especially towards the Kobe 4, the Kobe 5 and the Kobe 6. This makes all the sense in the world because Brunson is a huge Kobe fan, and these 3 models are close to being perfect guard oriented shoes. During the 2024/25 season, Brunson has played exclusively in these 3 Kobes:
Nike Kobe 4 Protro
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) 
(Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) 
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler via Getty Images 
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images 
Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images 
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) 
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) 
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Kobe 4 stands out among the Kobe signature line because of the great mix of materials which makes it one of the more durable models in the lineup.
The Kobe 4 offers excellent traction, a great low-profile cushioning setup (which should have received an upgrade when they were protro’d back in 2019), and a very well contained 1-to-1 fit. They are one of the earlier Nike Kobe models so they don’t feel as modern as other Kobe models, but they are bad boys nonetheless. Read the full (protro) review.
Nike Kobe 5 Protro
The Nike Kobe 5 is the best-fitting Kobe model ever, which is somewhat surprising since the upper is built with old-school Nike fuse. The protro version is thinner which helps to keep the Kobe 5 lightweight and free-flowing. In terms of cushion, we have a cushlon midsole and a zoom turbo unit in the forefoot.
The shoe is also equipped with a carbon fiber shank, a wide forefoot outrigger, and aggressive traction. Simply put, this is an amazing hoop shoe and one of the best models Nike has ever produced (for Kobe or not). Read the full (protro) performance review.
Nike Kobe 6 Protro
The original Nike Kobe 6 is one of the best performance basketball shoes ever created, and this updated protro version might just be a little bit better. Nike has brought us “protros” in the past that haven’t lived up to the term, offering little or no performance updates. Kobe, who actually coined the term, would be proud of this model as it makes an almost perfect shoe that much better. Traction is outstanding once broken in, cushioning is responsive, but some may miss the original Zoom Air configuration.
Protro versions feature Zoom Turbo in the forefoot and nothing in the heel besides the Cushlon of the midsole. Materials are durable and functional, and the support features make these one of the best low-top designs for lockdown and stability. As far as fit goes, these do run very tight so you might consider going up half a size. Read the full review. Price: $190
Jalen Brunson x Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Statue Of Liberty”
Now, of all of these shoes and colorways, there is one model in particular that stands out among the rest. Brunson has had a bunch of different player-only Kobe colorways during the season but, this Kobe 6 Protro in particular is special.
During game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Brunson laced up this never before seen colorway of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro. It features a pale green upper with copper accents… remind you of anything? The colorway is not so subtly inspired by the Statue of Liberty.
According to what we’ve heard, it will be Brunson’s first-ever retail release this coming holiday season. A precise release date has not yet been confirmed, but the shoe should be launch around Holiday 2025 for $190.
