Written by Natasha Dye, PEOPLE
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has had a packed summer, but he doesn’t mind his busy schedule if it means helping others.
Before the newlywed athlete, 26, began training for the FIBA World Cup in Asia, he hosted a charity golf tournament near his hometown in Illinois to benefit his Second Round Foundation, an organization that aims to support the next generation’s dreams through academics, sports, and outreach.
Between training camp and tying the knot with his high school sweetheart Ali Marks in the same month-span, Brunson tells PEOPLE he enjoys being someone “people can rely on” even when his schedule gets busy.
“I’m a person who loves to keep people involved. I want to be a great leader, and I want be able to be a person that people can rely on, whether it’s on or off the court,” he says.
Second Round’s name comes from “being drafted in the second round and always kind of being overlooked,” Brunson tells PEOPLE.
He explains, “I just wanted to give people, preferably the younger kids and younger adults, that mindset of no matter what people think or say about you, it’s all about how your mindset and how you attack every situation.”
Click the following link to read the full story from Natasha Dye on PEOPLE: Jalen Brunson Named His Foundation ‘Second Round’ After ‘Being Overlooked’ Before NBA Stardom (Exclusive)