Jalen Brunson is the central name in ESPN’s unofficial 2026 All-Playoffs awards, earning the outlet’s Playoffs MVP label after New York’s championship run. The first-team group detailed in the source also includes Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The feature frames the awards as an editorial exercise rather than an official NBA honor, weighing both level of play and how long each player’s team lasted. That approach naturally boosts players from deep postseason runs, especially the champion Knicks and finalist Spurs.
Brunson’s case is built around scoring volume and late-game burden, while Wembanyama’s selection reflects a breakout first playoff run that carried San Antonio to the Finals. Towns and Anunoby are presented as major pieces in New York’s title formula, and Gilgeous-Alexander remains on the first team despite Oklahoma City falling one win short of the Finals.
The available second-team details highlight Stephon Castle, Mikal Bridges, Alex Caruso and Jarrett Allen, with Castle and Caruso standing out as two-way impact choices. Because the supplied source text cuts off during Allen’s section, editors should verify the full list and all cited statistics before treating the selections as complete.
Discussion
Sign in to join the discussion.
Sign in / Register