The New York Knicks acquired a player last offseason with the perfect temperament for the Big Apple market, and one who has emerged as one of the best at his position.

No matter the obstacles, the criticisms or the disrespect, Jalen Brunson does not get rattled.

"It's kind of been the story of my career," the point guard told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview over the phone Thursday night. "Ever since I stepped foot in high school, it's, 'Yeah, Jalen's good, but he's just not that guy.' I've never got my props until I accomplished something. It's very repetitive, but I know what I'm getting myself into. Proving people wrong is not what gets me going. Unfortunately, it's something that I have to go through. I'm not bothered at all by it."

In his first year with the Knicks since signing his four-year, $104 million contract, Brunson made a leap that not many envisioned. With Brunson as the point guard running the show, New York (42-33) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, and Brunson is averaging career highs in points (23.8), assists (6.2) and steals (0.9) per game as well as three-point percentage (41.1).

Those enhanced statistics positioned him firmly in the Most Improved Player conversation, which is ironic considering how much scrutiny came with Brunson leaving the Dallas Mavericks to sign that colossal contract.

Pundits pronounced that the Knicks overpaid and said he was nothing more than a middle-tier point guard. Combined with the Knicks' hiring of his father, Rick Brunson, as an assistant coach a month before 2022 free agency and the tampering investigation that followed— resulting in New York losing a second-round pick in 2025 for engaging in contract dialogue before the start of free agency—many believed Brunson wasn't worth the hassle.

"It's impossible not to hear the [naysayers]," Brunson told B/R. "But I do my best to not let that drive me now because at some point, I know I have the ability to prove people wrong. I really don't want to just use it as motivation. My motivation is just to go out there and be the best player I can be every single day. That's how I've always been. It's how my parents raised me. You can't listen to what people say, good or bad. You got to stay level-headed. It's kind of a blessing in disguise for me because it keeps me working, it keeps me going, it keeps me hungry."

Not to mention, he was an All-Star snub.