“F**k Embiid” chants erupt in NYC in front of Jalen Brunson & Co.

After years of struggle, Jalen Brunson’s arrival in the New York Knicks saw them turn into a contender in the East in 2023-24. By turning the fortunes of one of the NBA's most popular franchises, Brunson enjoys a special place among the New Yorkers.

While Brunson has been spectacular on the court, he has excelled in his ventures outside the NBA as well. The point guard has a podcast named “Roommates Show” along with his teammate Josh Hart and co-host Matt Hillman. On Saturday evening, the podcast was shooting for an episode/block party at Central Park when fans erupted with a few choice words for Joel Embiid:

“F**k Embiid”

As the chants broke out, Hart was seen egging the crowd to continue. While it isn’t known at the moment why the crowd started chanting Embiid’s name, it isn’t surprising knowing the Philadelphia 76ers' rivalry against the Knicks.

The two teams met as recently as the first round of the 2023-24 NBA Playoffs. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks got the better of Embiid and the Sixers as New York won 4-2. Brunson was spectacular in the series, averaging 35.5 points, 9.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 43.8 minutes.

Joel Embiid had a good series as well, as he averaged 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 blocks, but it wasn’t good enough to lead the Sixers to the second round.

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Jalen Brunson got MVP chants from crowd at Central Park

As fans made their displeasure with Joel Embiid known, they also took the opportunity to express their love for Jalen Brunson. The mercurial point guard was serenaded with MVP chants during the filming of the podcast episode.

While Brunson couldn’t finish in the top 3 of the 2023-24 MVP voting, he got votes. The guard finished fifth with 142 points, as Nikola Jokic took home his third MVP award with 926 points. Brunson finished the year averaging 28.7 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He also made his first All-Star team and led the Knicks to a 50-32 record that saw them finish second in the East.

As per DraftKings, Jalen Brunson is tied for the seventh-best odds at +1,800 alongside Jayson Tatum to win next season’s MVP. Jokic is yet again the favorite.

Brunson might not be among the favorites right now, but if the Knicks’ rise in the East continues, his claim for the Michael Jordan trophy could increase by the time spring arrives in Central Park next year.