Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge gifts Knicks' star Jalen Brunson signed cleats with epic message

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks received a signed pair of cleats worn by New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. Brunson and Judge are two of the biggest sports stars in the Big Apple and fans surely loved what they saw at Yankees stadium on Wednesday.

In a video uploaded on X, formerly known as Twitter, Brunson showed off the gift from Judge – a signed pair of cleats with a great message on it. The 2022 AL MVP put his signature on both shoes, with the inscription "22ALMVP" on the left one.

Here's what's written on the right one:

"To Jalen – Keep running the city!"

It's a great message from Aaron Judge, possibly acknowledging that Jalen Brunson might just be the biggest sports star in New York at the moment. Brunson has taken over the Knicks in his first two years there, leading them to back-to-back Eastern Conference semifinal appearances.

For those wondering why Brunson was at Yankees Stadium on Wednesday, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the game against the Mets. He did alright, throwing with his recently repaired left hand, which should be good to go by training camp.

However, the Knicks star didn't bring luck to the Yankees since they lost to the Mets 12-3, which completes the current series sweep. The Yankees are currently on a slump, having lost 22 of their last 32 games.

But on the bright side, the Yankees still have a record of 60-44. They are just 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East.

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Jalen Brunson takes massive pay cut, signs extension with Knicks

Jalen Brunson takes massive pay cut, signs extension with Knicks. (Photo: IMAGN)

Jalen Brunson did the New York Knicks a huge favor this offseason by signing a four-year, $156.5 million extension. Brunson could have waited until next season to sign a bigger extension worth around $269 million but took a pay cut instead to help the Knicks build around him.

The Knicks made some moves in the offseason that could help them become playoff contenders with the addition of Mikal Bridges. They also brought back OG Anunoby with a new contract, but lost Isaiah Hartenstein to the OKC Thunder. They will still need to sign a big man to compensate for Hartenstein's departure.

While Brunson taking a pay cut looks great for all parties, CBS Sports reported that the Villanova product is playing the long game. He will be a free agent in 2028 and will have 10 years of service in the NBA, which makes him eligible for an enormous five-year, $417 million extension.