Jalen Brunson of The New York Knicks recently made a trip to Stamford, Connecticut, to visit WWE headquarters. While there, he recorded a video that was posted on WWE’s X (Twitter) account in which he was asked to choose five wrestlers for a basketball starting lineup.
The NBA star first named Shawn Michaels as his Point Guard, then he said he’d want Jeff Hardy to play Shooting Guard.
Brunson went on to pick Roman Reigns for Small Forward and The Undertaker as Power Forward. He ended his starting five
lineup by saying he would want The Big Show to play Center.
Of Brunson’s picks, two of the wrestling stars actually have basketball backgrounds. The Undertaker earned a basketball scholarship to college, and a scout reportedly offered him a contract to play basketball professionally in Europe.
The Big Show, who is currently signed under his real name of Paul Wight in AEW, played college basketball at Wichita State University. Since he is at least seven feet tall, Wight did indeed play the Center position.
At the end of the WWE video posted on X, Jalen was asked who on his squad he’d go with to take the last shot in a game.
“Oh. If we need two, Undertaker,” he responded. “If we need a three, I’ll go Jeff Hardy.”
For his part, Brunson is an avid wrestling fan and has gotten involved in WWE action in the past.
During a June 2024 SmackDown in Brunson’s home arena of Madison Square Garden, he played the face to Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton’s heel.
Haliburton accompanied Logan Paul to the ring and later tried to provide him with brass knuckles to use in his Money in the Bank qualifying match against LA Knight and Santos Escobar. Brunson emerged from his front row seat and exchanged words with the fellow NBA star before referees stepped in between them.
After Knight scored the victory with a roll-up pin on Paul, Haliburton got into the ring, leading to Brunson following him with a steel chair to back up Knight. Paul and the Pacers player soon retreated to leave the New York fans happy.
What do you think of Brunson’s picks for a basketball starting lineup? Who would you pick for each position? Let us know in the comments.
