Life After the Celebration with Knicks Star Jalen Brunson and His Mom Sandra: Ep 52
Highlights from the episode:
What happens when the celebration ends and the next goal is already waiting
How being underestimated can become fuel for something bigger than yourself
The hidden work of protecting time, balance, and family that comes with success.
How early discipline and the right surroundings can shape what becomes possible later
Why it’s critical that reaching the top doesn’t change the person that you are
Podcast show notes:
As of June 2026 when the Knicks were crowned NBA champions, Jalen Brunson knows what it feels like to achieve the dream. He also knows what it’s like to be told, in one way or another, that some folks didn’t believe he could do it.
That tension sits at the heart of this conversation with Jalen and his mom, Sandra. They talk about becoming a champion, staying the same person while everything around you changes, and the second-round draft experience that eventually inspired their family’s foundation. Sandra also shares the parenting side of success, from making sacrifices when Jalen was young to thinking now about how to protect his balance as a husband, father, son, and athlete.
What You’ll Discover
What happens after the celebration everyone talks about (07:45)
The pressure of balancing all the roles success brings (12:35)
Jalen on Sandra’s sacrifices behind the scenes (15:49)
Turning second-round disappointment into a larger purpose (17:27)
Why your surroundings can matter as much as your decisions (21:38)
This is a conversation about winning and the importance of staying grounded once the dream becomes reality. It’s about knowing when to celebrate, when to turn the page, and how the people who helped you get there remain a crucial part of the story and the quest to add to the next chapter.
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Connect with Jalen Brunson
Follow Jalen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jalenbrunson1
Be sure to subscribe to Things No One Tells You—Lindsay’s podcast all about the real, unfiltered conversations we don’t always have but should. From big names to everyday voices, each episode dives into the moments that shape us. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow along with Lindsay below!
Full Transcript
[00:00:00] Lindsay: So what is the thing no one tells you about realizing the dream?
[00:00:08] Jalen: I mean, no one tells you, I mean, truly, like, everyone talks about the emotion of winning it right when it happens, right when it, like, literally, as the buzzer goes off, the rest of the evening, the celebrations in the locker room, everything.
[00:00:25] You hear about that, but no one tells you how long people could really celebrate for. The entire city has, I feel like, been celebrating since that day. And another thing people don't tell you is that you have
[00:00:38] to find your own way to flip the switch and to figure out what's next. You can't just, unless you're retiring, which I don't plan on retiring. But,
[00:00:48] Lindsay: We'll be glad to hear that.
[00:00:50] Jalen: But no one tells you the time and day when to turn the switch and f- start focusing on the next one.
[00:00:54] Lindsay: Are. You're not there yet.
[00:01:00] Are you there?
[00:01:00] Jalen: I'm there.
[00:01:01] Lindsay: You’re?
[00:01:02] Jalen: I've been there for a while.
[00:01:04] Lindsay: Since when? Hey, everybody. Welcome to Things No One Tells You. Oh, do we have a good one for you today? I'm so glad that you're here to be a part of this community. And this is like my perfect marriage of sports and life, with a little parenting sprinkled in, and championships.
[00:01:25] Okay, so you guys, real quick, I did not intentionally wear orange because I'm trying to show any Knicks fandom, because I realize paired with my wallpaper it might appear that way. I just love the band The Eagles, and so that's why I'm wearing this shirt. But yes, in fact, today's episode is with Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson and his mom, Sandra.
[00:01:47] And here's the deal. I have really wanted to sit with Jalen Brunson for a Things No One Tells You conversation for a long time, before the Knicks won the championship and took us on that amazing ride. But the fact that this happened after they won it and before the next season started means there were so many awesome moments and so many things I'm so excited for you guys to hear about that I know you haven't heard before.
[00:02:09] So I wanna get to it, but first, I wanna give you some context. So what I think is really great about this is the highlights of the things that you can't live without- listen for that- but also the things no one tells you, from both of their perspectives; I think it is just really powerful and really eye-opening.
[00:02:27] I love it when I have an opportunity to talk to someone who has won a championship, just about reflecting on, like, okay, now that you've had some time, what is your takeaway of, like, the journey that leads to that, and what can we all take from that? Because there are so many things that are relatable to anyone out there who happens to be watching or listening to this.
[00:02:48] Jalen is so methodical, and the way the Knicks won that championship, where he literally would put them on his back in certain moments, and the nature with which they did it, where they were down by so much so often, but coming back. I mean, I don't know that I've experienced belief- belief, like how, watching belief in yourself in such an in-your-face way for quite a while.
[00:03:15] So I just thought that was so special, and I loved, like, watching it with my son and having him see that moment. That's why I did not appreciate or actually maybe it was educational, the thing that Jalen can't live without, because I ran right home and told my son all about that. But for context, guys, I had this conversation at a golf course in Rye, where Jalen was wrapping up his golf tournament.
[00:03:38] He does it annually to benefit the Second Round Foundation. This is a foundation that he and his mom started together, and what I love about it is that it's dedicated to giving kids who don't have the resources or the means to have access to different sports, education, or being part of a community; they fill the gaps that help them do that.
[00:03:59] So it's a great cause. But also the second round. It was because Jalen was taken in the second round, and so there's meaning behind that. Like, don't count yourself out when others might, right? I thought that's super cool. So right before they walked in, I was really nervous. Like, people ask me if I get nervous before I do TV or host something, and the answer is like, yeah, you have to have a level of that- the butterflies.
[00:04:23] But, like, before they came in, any time I'm doing an interview where I just genuinely am like, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm actually able to talk to this person," I always feel like, "Oh, what, what's gonna happen if I just don't know what to say or I act weird or I start smiling weird?" Anyway, they walked in.
[00:04:40] They couldn't have been better, and they were so kind. And what I noticed right away is they kind of finish each other's sentences, and I think that the way Sandra has raised Jalen, obviously from when he was a kid, but the way that she also influences and helps him navigate his career now is really pretty cool.
[00:05:00] And also the way that she steps back, because obviously he's a grown man and can do it on his own. But they have something really special going. I know his dad is a big part of that picture as well. But it was really cool to just be able to spend time with the two of them. So, they are mom-son goals, and without further ado, I want you to see it for yourself.
[00:05:17] Here you have it, Jalen Brunson and his mom, Sandra.
[00:05:20] Welcome, you guys. Thank you. Have some pastries if you want them. As I was thinking about last year seeing you at this event before you guys started golfing, and then thinking about, like, who would have thought- certainly, I guess you would have dreamed that you would come back as an NBA champion. What has life been like since? How has it changed?
[00:05:42] Jalen: Life has been going pretty fast. It's been one thing after another. It's been a lot of memories that we've been able to enjoy, and understand the magnitude of it probably later in life. But we've been going 100 miles an hour since June 13th.
[00:06:06] Lindsay: Fast. How do you mean fast? And do you feel the same way, Sandra? Is it-
[00:06:09] Sandra: Totally. Everything has been amplified and accelerated, but it's a good problem to have. About two days after the championship game, I received a text from Andre Iguodala's mom, Linda. And she said, "October will be here before you know it.
[00:06:33] Enjoy every minute. Soak it all up." And even at that time, I was just like, "Okay, that means something." Coming from a mom who's an NBA champion and understanding this journey, I took that to heart, and I immediately just said, "I need to just kinda soak it all in and just be just so thankful and so proud," and that's where I've been.
[00:06:59] Nothing, there's no bad day. There's no bad day.
[00:07:02] Lindsay: I love that. Is that how you feel, too? Have you been able to do that? 'Cause I see, we saw a video of you. You're walking through the streets. I mean, you are a king. People are holding umbrellas over your head, right? Yeah.
[00:07:14] Jalen: It's been a lot. It's been, like she said, great problems to have, but I think the best part about it is I still feel like I'm the same person.
[00:07:24] I still feel like I'm, nothing's changed about me personally, so, as long as I don't change, I think I'll be, I'll be happy with everything. I just, it
[00:07:38] Lindsay: Just, it is a lot, I can't lie. So what is the thing no one tells you about realizing the dream?
[00:07:45] Jalen: I mean, no one tells you, I mean, truly, like, everyone talks about the emotion of winning it right when it happens, right when it, like literally, the, as the, buzzer goes off, the rest of the evening, the celebrations in the locker room, everything.
[00:08:01] You hear about that, but no one tells you how long people could really celebrate for. As the entire city has, I feel, been celebrating since that day. And another thing people don't tell you is that you have to find your own way to flip the switch and to figure out what's next. You can't just...
[00:08:21] Unless you're retiring, which I don't plan on retiring. But,
[00:08:25] Lindsay: We'll be glad to hear that.
[00:08:26] Jalen: But no one tells you the time and day when to turn the switch and f- start focusing on the next one.
[00:08:35] Lindsay: Are you... You're not there yet. Are you there?
[00:08:37] Jalen: I'm there.
[00:08:38] Lindsay: You, re?
[00:08:38] Jalen: I've been there for a while.
[00:08:40] Lindsay: Since when?
[00:08:44] Jalen: Probably... she'll say like a week after. I'll truly say-
[00:08:49] Sandra: Like the parade?
[00:08:49] Jalen: Yeah. I'll truly say, when I had surgery is when it clicked for me. It clicked for me that it was time to move on.
[00:09:01] Lindsay: Why do you think so, that it was then?
[00:09:04] Jalen: I just, it probably was before, but I just, I think that when you are still trying to accomplish more, the quicker you can move on from an accomplishment, something you worked so hard for, the quicker you can continue to get better and not be satisfied.
[00:09:21] And so, yeah, it's, I mean, I don't think the celebration will ever end just because of where we are. We are in New York City, and how much this means to the city. But I think, for me, I had to kind of try to turn the page.
[00:09:38] Lindsay: Do you, do you think because you're suddenly facing something where, okay, you've gotta factor in getting back after that surgery?
[00:09:48] Jalen: Yeah, it's part of the surgery, yeah, part of that is trying to come back in one piece and feel, feeling better. I mean, another reason is just you just- I've wanted to be a champion for a long time, but I didn't wanna let it define me and who I was. And so, this is everything I worked for, but I feel like I'm still working on a lot.
[00:10:10] Lindsay: Sandra, what's the thing no one tells you, or what is one of the things that no one tells you about this journey?
[00:10:19] Sandra: As a mom, no one has ever told me that you s- you stop worrying about your child in the greatest moments. Whether it's the pundits, the cr- criticisms, the moments where they're on the free throw line, the game is in the balance.
[00:10:49] You think, like after college, that, "Oh, okay, he's made it. He fulfilled his dream. He's made it to the NBA." And it's just like-
[00:10:58] Lindsay: Oh, man. ... wait.
[00:11:00] Sandra: And, your heart still melts. No one's ever told you that you're still gonna mother. You're, and it sounds cliché, or it doesn't make sense to say, but it's actually the emotions.
[00:11:16] They don't disappear. They, I still worry, concern, have his best interest at heart. No one ever tells you that you stop having those feelings. No one ever says you finally graduate when you make it to the top of the top. '
[00:11:40] Lindsay: Cause you don't.
[00:11:41] Sandra: Cause you don't. Yeah, exactly. And so, obviously there's only so many moms that felt, have- yeah.
[00:11:49] experienced this at, this. But when you get there, it's just like a whole new level of challenges that come. And again, there is the alternative. So I mean, you just go through it with them. You, it's... He's still my baby. And we want the best for him. And, every step of the way I feel as though my heart is pretty much in tow with him, and no one has ever told me that stops.
[00:12:26] Lindsay: What are the new set of worries? And as a mom of a son- ... hearing you say that, I mean, mine's 12, so I'm like,
[00:12:35] Sandra: I remember when he was 12, and so it's, so the new worries are balanced. He's a husband. He's a father. He's a brother, a cousin. There's, there's a lot of demands on his time, and finding the balance to do what he does on the court, to also meet the challenges of the obligations that he has that come with the business of sport, and knowing that he may never have his own time the way he wants to have his own time.
[00:13:20] And that's concerning; I'd be lying to you if I said that, "Oh, this is all hunky-dory." It is. It's great. It's great. But I also feel as though I want to ensure that we support him in the way that he needs to be supported. And the way Jalen is, he's not gonna demand much. Jalen is going to find his way.
[00:13:47] He's gonna put his head down, and he's going to do the work and never complain.
[00:13:52] Lindsay: Do you, like, compartmentalize stuff? Are you... Is that how you are? Like, you kinda keep it in, and then how do you deal with stuff when it becomes a pressure cooker?
[00:14:01] Jalen: I definitely compartmentalize. I definitely hold things in, probably way too much and way too often.
[00:14:05] But, I don't know, I feel like it's worked for me up to this point, so I guess I'll continue to do so. But I just, that's just how I am.
[00:14:20] Sandra: We are very much alike. And,
[00:14:23] Lindsay: As people and as athletes?
[00:14:25] Jalen: Well.
[00:14:26] Lindsay: Oh, no, okay,
[00:14:26] Sandra: Well.
[00:14:27] Lindsay: Nope.
[00:14:28] Jalen: As people.
[00:14:29] Sandra: As people, I think the athletic drive when I did play sports-
[00:14:35] collegiate sports. I'm a competitor.
[00:14:37] Lindsay: Yeah.
[00:14:38] Sandra: For those.
[00:14:39] Lindsay: That doesn't know, volleyball at Temple.
[00:14:40] Sandra: Volleyball. Yes. It paid the bills. Okay? But, on a non-athletic level, we're very much alike in the sense that we are very, we're slow to anger, very slow to anger. We are very intentional about our thoughts and our words, at least I think so.
[00:15:06] And, I think Jalen tends to lead by example, but it's not only through what he's able to produce on the court or physically, but mentally. And that's a very unique trait to have. I would like to say that I kinda influenced that and encouraged that along the way. But he is very guarded with his thoughts
.[00:15:47] Lindsay: Sounds about right. What are you most proud of about your mom?
[00:15:49] Jalen: Ooh, wow. Truly, no one sees how much she sacrifices to this day. Obviously, she sacrificed so much when I was younger, but I think even more now. There's a lot more on her plate, just because of the foundation stuff. Me being able to do what I'm doing on the court has helped the foundation as well, and so, I mean, with that comes a lot more things to do, more things to run.
[00:16:20] Just very thankful and proud of her for all the times that she's committed to this. Like, when she puts her mind to something, it's full go. It's full go, and she's gonna get it right. There's, she's gonna, she's gonna have a lot more trial and error before things actually happen, before she actually realizes that she's made a mistake, if that makes sense.
[00:16:41] Like, she's gonna run through every scenario in her head to make sure that she gets everything right. And so, I'm really proud of her for the work that she's done with the foundation, with my sister and me, and now our granddaughter, my granddaughter. My daughter.
[00:17:02] Jesus: My daughter.
[00:17:04] Lindsay: My granddaughter, yes.
[00:17:06] Jalen: Your granddaughter.
[00:17:07] Lindsay: What's that like, seeing your daughter with your mom?
[00:17:13] Jalen: A relief. Yeah, just, "Here you go." No, it's really cool to see. And their relationship's really cute, and you can't help but smile whenever you see them in- interact.
[00:17:27] Lindsay: The Second Round Foundation, I was curious what you both collectively envisioned when it started. It started in 2022.
[00:17:36] Sandra: Yes.
[00:17:36] Lindsay: Can you explain? I love the explanation behind it. But why?
[00:17:41] Sandra: I would say that with Jalen- Jalen learns to pivot very easily and quickly through his childhood. We moved several times. Dad's had jobs in different cities, and he would question why certain things, why isn't Dad here, and so forth and so on.
[00:18:05] So fast-forward to the end of his collegiate career, all the accolades, you know, doing everything that he was told to do and work hard, be disciplined, be a leader, and so forth and so on, and achieve all of those accolades. And not intentionally. It was about team goals, and then winning those team goals; somehow, he was able to receive individual goals.
[00:18:38] And going into the draft, I think there were a lot of expectations. You come out as consensus player of the year, in college ranks and so forth, and you would be highly valued and ranked. He slipped to the second round. Going in, I just wanted my son to get drafted. That would be the first in our family.
[00:19:06] It would've been a goal that was something that was on our radar as a family for him. And when he slipped to the second round, I think he was disappointed that the stock that he had garnered didn't resonate with some of the NBA front offices. But quickly, I challenged him to pivot.
[00:19:38] It was just like, "Okay." His dad said, "Listen, after the draft, everybody's scroun- it's, everybody's at zero. We all start on the same playing field." And for me, I just told him, " You had to have every resource possible that we could ever give you. The training, the college career, the coaches, and so forth and so on, and some people still think you weren't good enough.
[00:20:06] Just think about all the kids who don't have those opportunities, those resources. Maybe you should focus on them." And I said, "Don't wait until you're an all-star to make a difference." And I think he took that to heart. And our family, as he went through his rookie season, like, the second round was just in our head all the time.
[00:20:28] We were like, you're not supposed to be here. Second round. You were in the second round." And it resonated, and it just kind of, it fueled a fire in him- which was my intention- ... to not focus on the here and now, but think beyond that. And we've always done that for him and his sister. And he listened.
[00:20:54] And we learned, and we grew together from, in, in Dallas about, Title I school districts and things like that. We just tried to learn about communities that were under-resourced, and how he could use his platform to make a difference. So while he was trying to amplify his career, it kind of challenged him to bring others up and lift them and provide them with a model and with a mindset to overcome the unthinkable.
[00:21:30] Lindsay: What would you say, Jalen, is like the biggest adversity or time that you overcame, that you look back on now?
[00:21:38] Jalen: I wouldn't say it was like the biggest adversity, but it was important for me, and it's still important now. I remember when my, my, it's not really adversity. It's more of a, it was more of like a choice that I thought was really important.
[00:21:53] But my parents told me when I was in high school that I had three things to choose from. I have school, I have basketball, and my social life to choose from. And I could only pick two of the three, and school was clearly a no, was- Was a, Wasn't
[00:22:09] Sandra: An option wasn't an option.
[00:22:11] Jalen: To say no to. So it was really between basketball and my social life, and I chose basketball.
[00:22:17] And so every day came down to getting my schoolwork done, making sure I got my work done, with basketball, and then after that I could be a kid. And so, but-
[00:22:27] Lindsay: So as long as you did the work first, then-
[00:22:28] Jalen: I could do what, I could do what I want. I could do what I want. And that also ca- it wasn't just my decision; it was also about finding the right friends to be around.
[00:22:37] And so I had a great group of friends who knew my goals, who knew what I had to do, not before I could do anything. They never, like, pressured me into, like, skipping a day to go hang out or whatever. They made sure, like, I did what I had to do. And, I mean, those people are still with me to, like, today. I still talk to them all the time.
[00:22:54] And so, so I wouldn't say that's adversity. There's other adversity that I've gone through, but I think it was really important for me to understand that my surroundings were just as important as my decisions.
[00:23:08] Lindsay: And how did you do that? 'Cause also you were working- yes... while he was coming up. Corporate law, right? So how did you balance, and what do you remember of, like, the way that, I don't know, your parents parented?
[00:23:26] Sandra: Well, I can tell you that the strangest thing was, like, how could they have middle school basketball games at, like, 3:00 in the afternoon, right? That's hard. As a working mom- or parent- 9:00 to 5:00, I sacrificed, meaning I didn't take lunch so I could go to his game. r- Rick would bring his, like, sandwiches or a snack before practice. It was a collective effort. And the way high school basketball is now, it's pretty much like a precursor to what they're doing in the professional sports.
[00:24:08] I mean, it's very focused: training table, certain things, training in the morning. And believe it or not, and I don't know if he would admit this, we used to work out. He was my workout partner at 5:30 in the morning.
[00:24:23] Lindsay: Whoa.
[00:24:24] Jalen: It's, workout partner is..
[00:24:27] Sandra: We didn't work out together. We went to the gym together.
[00:24:29] Yeah, at the same time. We entered- okay... the gym at the same time.
[00:24:31] Lindsay: In high school or
[00:24:33] Jalen: In high school. Okay. High school,
[00:24:34] Sandra: Yeah. Yes. We would go at- okay... like, we'd leave at, like, 5:00. I had to be home, showered, and dressed by 6:30. So he would play pickup basketball. I would work out. And we did this, I think, till he was a junior, his junior year, when pretty much he had to work out at school in the morning.
[00:24:51] Lindsay: Okay.
[00:24:51] Sandra: But whatever he was interested in, as a parent, I felt that I needed to somehow show up, whether it was ... And even for our daughter, I'll volunteer. I, if I have to be there, drive you there, wait, I might as well do something. So I always wanted to show up, and to just let them know that what they cared about mattered.
[00:25:14] And I think I'm still struggling today without that workout partner. I can tell you that, because that was motivation- just him getting up, working out with the older men at the gym at 5:00, 5:30. None of his friends were doing that. He was doing one. What, Nick?
[00:25:31] Jalen: One, no, Connor, one of the kids.
[00:25:33] Sandra: Connor, So, I
[00:25:34] Jalen: had to drag Connor with me ...
[00:25:35] Sandra: Yeah, so I mean, he was dedicated early on, and he was motivating enough for me. When he was injured in the NBA with his surgery- not this injury, but previously in Dallas- I used to ride the bike virtually with him. Oh, wow. There were things that I would do just to stay engaged, to be a part of his world.
[00:26:00] Sometimes I would run the bridge in Margate with him until he got way too advanced and I couldn't hang anymore. However, I could fit in to show him that I'm going to support him; I am there no matter what. And obviously his dad is, but as a mom, I try to show up in other ways. He doesn't need another coach.
[00:26:20] He doesn't need another mentor in that space. I just try and fit ... just try and fit in his world.
[00:26:29] Lindsay: I had someone write in. I know that we're gonna wrap this, but someone wrote in with a question that I loved, and their question was, "How have you raised a boy that's a man... How have you raised a man that continues to stay as humble as he does after achieving success at every level?"
[00:26:48] What do you think?
[00:26:51] Jalen: Well, I have a sister.
[00:26:55] Lindsay: Okay.
[00:26:57] Jalen: That's pretty much self-explanatory. I have a father who keeps me in check. I have a mother who keeps me in check. I have a wife who keeps me in check. All my friends keep me humble. I have a best friend on my team who treats me like shit. Excuse my language.
[00:27:16] Lindsay: Who is?
[00:27:17] Jalen: I'm not even gonna say his name, but he's number three. But I have a lot of people who've– not that I need it, but, like, it's always good having people who, like, you've known from when you were still working towards your goal. And now that you're at your goal, they're still around, and they're still the same person, so it gives me no right to change who I am as well.
[00:27:42] Lindsay: And when you look around, and you see what you're doing at an event like this and the difference that you're able to make with Second Round and all the good that you guys have done here, what does that mean? And maybe what does that make this championship mean to the Brunson family?
[00:27:57] Jalen: Yeah, it means a lot just because of, I think, who we are as a family.
[00:28:03] I feel like no matter what goes on within our family or outside our family, we were all- we were always a close-knit group. Regardless of whatever people think about us on the court or off the court, like, we do not care because we know that who we are will never change how we th- feel and think about each other.
[00:28:28] And so just to see where this is now, to say that we would, it would be to this magnitude, we thought about it. To say we thought that this would be this magnitude, maybe eventually, but not this quickly. And so the fact that we see this like this is, how it is today, is pretty surreal.
[00:28:49] Lindsay: We always end with this.
[00:28:51] What is the one thing that you can't live without? It can be anything.
[00:28:58] Sandra: Do you want me to go first?
[00:29:00] Jalen: Sure, 'cause I have plenty of avenues to go down.
[00:29:07] Sandra: The one thing that I can't live without is family. I mean, obviously you can choose your partner in the life that we have created together for our children and with our children. I mean, I wouldn't change it for the world. At the same time, I'm very thankful for the journey and hope that we continue to just grow and learn from this experience, from this journey, and I truly believe that what we're doing today as a family, but also as a foundation, we're planting seeds and we're trying to help other ch- children and families understand their worth and their value, no matter where they come from or what the circumstance is.
[00:30:11] I hope that some way, somehow, his success off the court, on the court, leads people to understand that the journey is a never-ending road, a never-ending winding road, and that somehow, some way, with perseverance and the mindset, you're able to overcome any and everything. People see Jalen where he is today, but I implore them, the younger people, to also look and to understand his journey, because there's a lot there that they can take from.
[00:30:56] And to understand how to, at least, that it's more of a mindset than the physical attributes. It's this, these are skills that can be taught and learned and honed just by mental wellness and a village.
[00:31:12] Lindsay: Did he get into trouble, like, as a 12-year-old? Or was he like
[00:31:16] Sandra: No, he did not.
[00:31:17] Lindsay: Really? Well, well- 'cause everyone was just keeping you in check
[00:31:20] Sandra: Or well, he's a kid.
[00:31:22] He was a kid. Let's just leave it at that.
[00:31:25] Jalen: Yeah.
[00:31:25] Sandra: There were some learning curves, definitely, just like with any young man growing up. So, but they were; that's part of the journey. Nothing's ever perfect, but like, like Brian said, there are perfect moments.
[00:31:46] We're thankful to have one June 13th.
[00:31:52] And to share that with all New Yorkers everywhere, it's a beautiful thing to see. And to have our son part of New York sports history is just icing on the cake.
[00:32:09] Jalen: So my answer was gonna be video games, but I guess I can't do that now.
[00:32:11] Lindsay: Wait, no, you can. Wait.
[00:32:14] No, I think that's perfect, 'cause we know it's family, but you can't live without video games.
[00:32:18] Sandra: No, he can't.
[00:32:18] Lindsay: What are you playing?
[00:32:18] Sandra: He can't.
[00:32:19] Jalen: I can.
[00:32:20] Sandra: No.
[00:32:20] Jalen: I can.
[00:32:21] Sandra: You do, no.
[00:32:22] Lindsay: Really? What is sh- what are you playing?
[00:32:23] Jalen: Right now?
[00:32:24] Lindsay: Yeah.
[00:32:24] Jalen: I'm playing FC 26 right now.
[00:32:27] Lindsay: No, I was…
[00:32:27] Jalen: I'm waiting for 27.
[00:32:29] Lindsay: No. You ruined it for me, because that is exactly the thing that we're trying to peel my son away from.
[00:32:33] Sandra: See? That's, so- and how old is your son?
[00:32:36] Lindsay: 12.
[00:32:37] Sandra: There's your 12-year-old.
[00:32:37] Lindsay: So did you have, did you limit his time?
[00:32:39] Sandra: Yes.
[00:32:40] Lindsay: How?
[00:32:41] Jalen: Weekends only.
[00:32:41] Sandra: Weekends only.
[00:32:42] Lindsay: Really?
[00:32:43] Sandra: Yes.
[00:32:43] Lindsay: This is actually amazing. Okay, so you only play video games on weekends.
[00:32:46] Sandra: Weekends only, and however any, any amount of hours he put into the video games, he had to give back in the form of education, whether it was reading a book.
[00:32:56] So that is limited, so if he only… I'm not gonna do two hours of reading, so-
[00:33:00] Jalen: There's a trick, though
[00:33:01] Sandra: You bring friends over...
[00:33:02] Jalen: If you invite, if you bring a friend over, you're good. Yes. If you bring a friend over, you're good.
[00:33:06] Sandra: If you have a play date- that is why my son keeps asking for the same friend to come over-
[00:33:10] Lindsay: Yes, because that's exactly what you can't.
[00:33:11] Jalen: Cause that was pre, like, online. So now, like, I guess, like, no one really plays split-screen anymore.
[00:33:19] Lindsay: Right.
[00:33:20] Jalen: So now all your friends, you can just be at home and play with them.
[00:33:23] Lindsay: You can, or you can be in the same room, and one of them can be sitting here, and the other one's, like, on a different…
[00:33:28] Jalen: That's it.
[00:33:29] Lindsay: Yeah, so. Okay. Well, this makes me feel better. Thank you, guys.
[00:33:34] Jalen: Thank you.
[00:33:35] Lindsay: Good luck.
[00:33:36] Jalen: Thank
[00:33:36] Lindsay: you. You got a lot to follow up on there. Yeah. Do you feel good about that?
[00:33:40] Jalen: Yep. I'm excited. I'm excited.
[00:33:43] Lindsay: What are you most excited about?
[00:33:45] Jalen: I'm excited just to kind of restart the journey.
[00:33:48] It's like, it's a new season. It's a new year. There's expectation, but it is what it is.
[00:33:59] Lindsay: One day at a time. I hope you don't worry so much.
[00:34:02] Sandra: Thank you. You can just be yourself. Thank you.
[00:34:04] Lindsay: Thank you, guys.
[00:34:05] Jalen: Thank you.
[00:34:05] Lindsay: Congratulations on this. It's amazing.
[00:34:07] Sandra: Thank you. Thank you.
[00:34:10] Lindsay: Oh, my son was really excited to hear that he has someone who also understands the power of FC, playing the video game.
[00:34:20] But then when I did include the part and tell him about what Sandra said about how he had to give back in terms of, like, reading or something educational, his smile kind of faded a little bit. But, no, I just wanna say a huge thanks to the crew that helped with this, with this interview. Also, Jalen and his mom, Sandra, were so busy on that day because they were just running the show.
[00:34:41] They have so many people that are there showing up just for them and to be a part of this, that it was really great to be able to spend that amount of time with them. But also, just thanks for being so honest and so open, and I cannot wait to watch the Knicks this season. I can't wait to watch Jalen and his team facing LeBron more, now that he's with the 76ers.
[00:35:01] But I think that this is gonna be a year where, who knows, maybe we'll see back-to-backs. It'll be a fun journey to watch, that's for sure. And I loved what Sandra said about Andre Iguodala's mom saying, "Enjoy it, 'cause October comes so soon." I mean, that's so true, right? I think all of us can relate.
[00:35:19] When there's something so great, just take the time to just soak it in, slow down, and just enjoy, and just be. So, thank you. As always, if you loved this episode, please like, subscribe, rate, review, and send us what you wanna hear. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. Thanks for being a part of this TNOTY community.
[00:35:42] Ashley, Sarah, Sam, Sean. We have a lot of S's in our group. Anyway, thank you, and we'll see you next time.