Hard work pays off. Just ask Jalen Brunson.The son of an ex-NBA player who now serves as his assistant coach, the barely 6ft 1in Brunson has risen from second-round pick to unquestioned leader for one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports, and now has an NBA championship and Finals MVP to show for it.Brunson was named unanimous Finals MVP after a 94-90 Game 5 win against the San Antonio SpursGettyThe undersized guard proved all the doubters wrong by delivering New York its first title since the 70sGettyOn Saturday night in San Antonio, the Knicks ended a 53-year championship draught, clinching the franchise its first title since 1973 with a 94-90 Game 5 win over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.In Game 4, the Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit and completed the largest comeback in NBA finals history after OG Anunoby’s tip-in off a Brunson missed three secured a 107-106 victory.In Game 5, the Knicks once again rallied from a double-digit deficit, closing on a 21-7 run, with Brunson scoring 15 of those points on 4-of-6 shooting. Brunson would finish the night with a game-high 45 points, tying an NBA record for a road player in a series-clinching win.View Tweet: https://t.co/HWctQw9UIOOnly four players in NBA history, Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bob Pettit, and now, Brunson, have scored at least 45 points in a closeout game in the NBA Finals.Brunson averaged 32.6 points in the championship series to go along with 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.He was crowned Finals MVP and was the unanimous choice among 11 voters.At 6-2, Brunson is one of four players in NBA history to be finals MVP at that height or shorter, joining Isiah Thomas, Stephen Curry and Tony Parker.“He’s one of the greatest Knicks ever, him, me, (Patrick) Ewing and Willis (Reed),” said Walt Frazier, who was part of the last Knicks team to win a championship in 1973.“It’s everything we ever dreamed of,” Brunson said to ESPN’s Ernie Johnson, while being presented with the Bill Russell Trophy for the MVP of the Finals.“It’s why I came to New York.”Jalen and his dad Rick celebrated with each other after the Knicks wonGettyDad Rick is an assistant coach with the Knicks, having also played for the teamGettyJalen Brunson was put through his paces by dad RickTo casual basketball fans, Brunson’s ascendancy to Knickerbocker superstar might seem like a shot out of the blue.Anyone who’s watched his career closely will tell you his story is far from one of overnight success.Basketball courses through Brunson’s veins, but nepotism will only get you so far in The Association.Talent and hard work always triumph in the end, and the undersized guard has been paying his dues for years.What the 29-year-old lacks in size and athleticism, he more than makes up for in heart and dedication, evidenced by a behind-the-scenes look at his brutal training regime from back in his youth.His dad Rick put him through his paces when he was a youngsterX@NBA_NewYorkJalen did countless shooting drills in the hot sunX@NBA_NewYorkIt was hard work but it has now paid offX@NBA_NewYork Brunson’s dad Rick — who he made history with in Game 1 — took it upon himself to train his son in the art of basketball and implemented a strict set of shooting drills to perfect Jalen’s form.Footage obtained by the Knicks showed the exhausted and exasperated, but undeterred, young baller running through a series of shooting exercises under the watchful eye of his disciplined father.The elder Brunson can be heard continuously reminding the future pro to hold his follow-through when shooting, even telling him that being ‘tired is for the weak’ and that he has to be mentally strong.“Everything you do has to be legit,” he instructed his son.“I’ll always talk to him and ask him, like, how bad does he want this? How good do you really want to be?” Rick once said.Jalen affirmed that he was never upset by his dad’s methods and being made to practise in the ‘hot-a** sun.’“You probably saw how p***** I was at the moment,” Brunson said. “It was more mental than anything.”View Tweet: https://t.co/sVJ4opNdmrBut, as the Knicks star said himself, ‘it all worked out’ in the end.In fact, Rick Brunson’s non-negotiable methods provided the perfect training ground for his son.Many an elite player has wilted under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and the raucous cheers from the famously tempestuous New York crowd.Not Brunson. He embraces it.Dad Rick Brunson (left) and Knicks legend Patrick Ewing (center) celebrated with JalenGettyBrunson is now a certified New York legendGettyThe slight-of-frame point guard, often the smallest man on the court, has put an entire organization on his back since signing a four-year, $104 million deal from the Dallas Mavericks in 2022.His relentless determination and underdog mentality perfectly encapsulates The City That Never Sleeps and his hometown team.The slippery and tricky operator, blessed with immaculate footwork and an innate ability to absorb contact and finish acrobatically, has revitalized the franchise which his father is still part of.Rick Brunson played in 69 games with New York and was on the Knicks team that reached the 1999 NBA Finals and lost to the Spurs.He continues to be in Jalen’s ear as an assistant coach on Mike Brown’s coaching staff and does his best to keep his son hungry and humble.Rick even called his son a ‘f***ing bum’ while he was competing against Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young in the 3-point contest during one All-Star Weekend.“Some bald guy behind the bench … I heard ‘Ayo, you f***ng bum!’” Brunson said.“I said, ‘Who just said that?’ My dad.”Jalen and his dad have come a long way togetherGettyBrunson can now lay claim to being the greatest free agent signings in NBA historyGettyRick’s strict approach to training may have been unorthodox at the time but the younger Brunson has more than reaped the rewards of those routines in recent years.Now, his son his widely considered the greatest free agent signing in NBA history.“It’s like, we couldn’t have imagined this, you know, back then,” Rick said after Game 5.“Just a dream. We would dream about it, talk about it. We talked about it earlier today. He said he wanted to be a champion. And yet I can’t believe it. It’s crazy.”“Words can’t describe it but I’ll say I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win,” Jalen said. “Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day. I think that means the most to me. And my family.”Jalen used to stand on the court at MSG wearing a Knicks jersey when his father played in New York.Now, he’s the unofficial King of New York, having ended the Knicks’ 53-year wait for an NBA championship.Stay up to date with the NBA across our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET.