New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Hosts Charity Golf Classic

Jalen Brunson hosting his charity golf tournament at the Twin Orchard Country Club in northwest ... [+] Chicago.

For New York Knicks’ guard Jalen Brunson, enjoying the offseason doesn’t mean the grind stops. In fact, for someone this strongly motivated by improvement on and off the court, the summer months can be just as busy as the regular season schedule.

The five-year NBA veteran recently spent a few days in the Chicago area with the goal of elevating a community, inspiring kids, and raising funds for America’s youth.

Brunson’s first stop of the week was Stevenson High School, his old stomping grounds in Lincolnshire, Illinois, to host the annual Jalen Brunson Skills Academy. During the three-day event, which launched in 2019, kids from the sixth to eighth grade were able to train and learn valuable techniques from Brunson and other experienced basketball voices in the area.

All proceeds from Brunson’s skills camp were donated to the Stevenson Foundation, supporting various senior scholarships and other student programs at the school.

But it was only step one of Brunson’s philanthropic efforts for the week.

His new charitable organization, the Second Round Foundation, hosted a golf tournament Thursday at the Twin Orchard Country Club in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, roughly five miles from Stevenson High.

Tagged as the “Jalen Brunson Charity Golf Classic,” the event helped raise funds for the foundation, which prides itself on guiding the next generation through academics, sports, and outreach. Specifically, the Second Round Foundation strives to empower young individuals to go the extra mile, adopt a leadership mentality, and not allow any outside factors to interfere with their growth.

Knicks' guard Josh Hart and ESPN's Michael Wilbon at the Jalen Brunson Charity Golf Classic, hosted ... [+] by Brunson on July 27 in Chicago.

The tournament featured celebrity guests and prominent figures from the Chicago area, including ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, who hosted a dinner and spoke to guests following the event. Plenty of Brunson’s NBA peers joined the action, too, including Knicks teammate Josh Hart, former teammate Obi Toppin, and his father, Rick Brunson.

With the Second Round Foundation placing a heavy emphasis on academics, the golf classic was managed by students who previously attended the Sports Business Classroom (SBC) during the Las Vegas Summer League.

In a phone interview with Forbes.com, Brunson mentioned the value and primary message his organization is aiming to convey.

“Starting the Second Round Foundation, it was about trying to help people become leaders and obviously helping the under-resourced as well,” he said. “Just having the mindset of never quitting, not focusing on what other people think or say about them. But having that mindset of, ‘I’m going to outwork anyone and everyone to become the person I want to be.’”

The name of Brunson’s charity stemmed from his 2018 second-round draft selection, and his belief that hard work and preparation will always lead to the results you’re seeking. His journey serves as evidence. Going from a second-round pick to signing a four-year, $104 million contract (a near-max deal) doesn’t happen without a commitment to improve his craft every season.

With the reputation of having a powerful locker room voice and serving as the floor general, Brunson wanted to expand his guidance and leadership to off-court ventures. For him, the goal of this foundation is to make a difference in other people’s lives, ensuring young students and athletes have an accessible path to success.

“The driving force behind that was, I just always wanted to give back — whether I played in the NBA or not,” Brunson said. “Just being a part of something where I know it has a positive impact on others outside of my close circle is special to me, because I think it’s important to think about the future. For me, it’s always been about how can I help out others.”

Sometimes, as Brunson notes, it’s simply reinforcing to kids and young adults that anyone can achieve their goals with the proper confidence, time commitment, and self-belief.

“No matter what people think of you, or what you may think of yourself — it’s always about giving people confidence and becoming leaders. Just moving forward in that aspect,” he said.

Ali Marks and Jalen Brunson at Covenant House's A Night of Covenant House Stars Annual Gala held at ... [+] The Rooftop Pavilion and Terrace at the Javits Center on May 22, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Variety via Getty Images)

To that end, Brunson has also made it a priority to raise the bar for NBA players and professional athletes around the world when it comes to giving back — the most significant thing you can do as someone in the national spotlight is support those who aren’t as fortunate. Whether it’s in your local community or you want to cast a wider net, Brunson believes what ultimately matters is the impact a player makes off the hardwood.

During his time with both the Mavericks and Knicks, Brunson has partnered with the Covenant House to support the homeless youth and provide resources to the shelters in New York and Pennsylvania. With over 25 shelters across the United States, the Covenant House offers valuable services to kids or young adults facing homelessness, as well as survivors of human trafficking. Their shelters have full-time staffs to provide medical clinics in addition to educational and vocational support.

In May, shortly after the Knicks’ playoff run, the Covenant House honored Brunson with the 2023 Beacon of Hope award, which is presented every year to the individual who shines the brightest in their advocacy work and contributions to the charity.

More than teaching certain skills within their sport, inspiring the youth and unlocking new doors are the actions that make any athlete an everlasting role model.

Following the Second Round Foundation’s core tenets — advocacy, opportunity, and impact — Brunson and his founding team have leaned into educational assistance. By tailoring a lot of their efforts to helping young students understand why the classroom is important, Brunson hopes it will resonate with more athletes.

“You see a lot of the younger guys making a jump right to the NBA,” he said. “Then you have a lot of the young kids thinking, ‘well, I don’t really need college. I don’t really need education because I can just go out there, and if I’m good at something, that’s all I can focus on.’ But it’s always important to have a backup plan. That’s what was taught to me when I was younger.”

While Brunson is mostly referencing players that aren’t sure-fire first-round picks when he mentions the “backup plan,” we’re seeing more players in today’s NBA go back to college while performing in the league. Just recently, Hall-of-Fame vets Stephen Curry and Chris Paul graduated from their respective colleges in their mid-thirties. As a whole, we’re seeing a shift toward players wanting to finish their degrees.

“Yes, I have two national championships with two great teams at Villanova, but I graduated in three years,” he said. “That’s something I hold near and dear to my heart because it’s something that a lot of people in the NBA don’t have. So, I think it’s a smart thing for me to preach up school a lot. While it is great to focus on your goals and doing what you love outside of school ... school is equally, if not more, important.”

Brunson will continue harping on education at his events and raising money to help under-resourced schools and areas.

In addition to providing those educational resources, he funds multiple scholarships for students at his alma mater, Stevenson High School. The annual “Jalen Brunson Patriot Pride Athletic Scholarships” are awarded to students for their high school achievements. They recognize students for their leadership and commitment to making the school environment a place of high-level equity, diversity, and inclusion.

For the Second Round Foundation, more events similar to the golf classic will be in the works. This was a monumental step for the charity organization, but just like Brunson’s attitude toward his NBA career, there isn’t room for complacency.

“This was definitely the first, but we want to grow,” he said. “This was a great first event. But I just know how I’ve always grown up and been taught. Yeah, we aspire to do great things, but there’s always room for improvement. So how can we continue to grow, how can we get more people involved? It’s always a goal to keep growing. This was a fantastic event. It was unreal. For me, personally, it exceeded my expectations.”

The foundation didn’t have an official number of how much the charity raised on Thursday when Forbes.com inquired.

When asked who did better on the golf course between he and his close friend Josh Hart, Brunson acknowledged he got the best of his Knicks teammate and the two had a friendly wager on the last hole.

“I’ll make sure that goes straight to my foundation,” he said.

It might be the dog days of the summer and prime vacation time, but Brunson and the Second Round Foundation are determined to set new standards for athletes making a mark on their communities.

On Saturday, Brunson will cap this eventful and memorable week by getting married to his longtime girlfriend after becoming engaged last offseason.