By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-18 02:46:08 | Updated at 2026-06-18 05:02:39
2 hours ago
This little guy won big bucks.
An adorable young New York Knicks fan won $5,000 in a Jalen Brunson lookalike contest in Washington Square Park on Wednesday — and was surprised with a clutch FaceTime with the NBA Finals MVP.
Dozens of Brunson doppelgangers entered the contest hosted by betting platform Polymarket and content creator Jake Epstein, who successfully livestreamed himself saying “Jalen Brunson” 100,000 times outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 3.
But the crowd ultimately named one fan, Francisco, 5, as the winner of the cash prize for best emulating the hometown hero.
Brunson FaceTimed the little Knicks fan in a No. 11 jersey to say “sup’ man,” but the youngster appeared too stunned in his newfound limelight to respond.
Onlookers instead cheered and chanted “Jalen Brunson!” before the call wrapped up.
Brunson was named the MVP of the finals after leading the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years with a legendary 45-point night.
The lookalike contest was hosted a day before Thursday’s ticker-tape parade for the Big Apple to revel in the Knicks historic NBA Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
The parade will begin around Battery Park and travel about a mile north on Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes before reaching City Hall for a ceremony.
