Jalen Brunson is following NBA stars like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Steph Curry in building a business portfolio, not just a championship résumé. After leading the New York Knicks to the 2026 NBA championship, the reigning Finals MVP announced in June that he joined fast-casual chain Just Salad as a partner and equity owner.

Brunson also plays a role in Just Salad's brand strategy. He stars in the company's latest campaign, "New York Always Knew," which rolled out Monday across billboards, transit stations, and CTV in the tristate area. Social content started going live about a week earlier. The campaign runs for roughly a month leading up to the NBA season, with content shifting to a more product-focused angle in November, according to Just Salad CMO Jennifer Lally.

"We really wanted a relationship that was more than just marketing, and we really want him to be a true partner," Lally told Marketing Brew. "We were really excited about the possibility of making this a long-term partnership."

Shared New York roots

The ads lean on what Lally called the "shared New York DNA" between Brunson, born just outside the city in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Just Salad, founded and headquartered in Manhattan. In one spot, filmed in August, a fan reflects on how Brunson earned his nickname, Captain Clutch, before the camera cuts to him eating a salad one table away.

"The campaign is a celebration of that fandom, and this idea of belonging, and the distinct, New York confidence," Lally said. "We really want to connect the sense of ownership fans feel around Jalen with Just Salad."

For Brunson, the deal fits a broader playbook. Last week he and his family announced the founding of a marketing agency, Thirty Third Management Group, in part to manage his off-court endeavors. He said shooting ads has gotten easier over the years, especially when "I'm asked to be myself," which he said is the case with Just Salad.

"We were looking for something that felt true to myself and taking the healthier approach to my diet, and so to be able to partner with them…made sense," Brunson said. "I wanted to do something that was different from what I've done and expand my portfolio."

A deal years in the making

Founder and CEO Nick Kenner, a lifelong Knicks fan born and raised in Manhattan, said he wanted to work with Brunson for years. He first approached Brunson's agent a few years ago, but the logistics didn't work out. Just Salad instead partnered with Isaiah Hartenstein, then on the Knicks and now with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Those ads performed well, Kenner said, convincing him there was an "obvious brand match" with Brunson. In 2025, after hearing Brunson was considering a restaurant partnership, the Just Salad team reopened talks. Negotiations ran for months during the NBA season, and Brunson signed the contract the day after the Knicks' ticker-tape parade. It marks only the second athlete partnership for the brand.

Kenner drew a parallel between the chain's growth and Brunson's trajectory. "We've grown restaurant by restaurant, customer by customer," he said. "To an extent, Jalen is very similar…He just has methodically gotten better every single year."

Measuring the bet

As the campaign gets underway, Lally said she will track same-store sales, new-customer trials, and share of voice against competitors. "The campaign has to make you feel something, but it also has to make you order something," she said.

Longer term, Lally expects the Brunson work to set a baseline for Just Salad's approach to athlete partnerships. Kenner's ambitions reach higher.

"I think this has the power to be similar to what Michael Jordan did with McDonald's," he said. "We're taking a global icon who's genuinely authentic about his love for Just Salad. This is going to be all over the place, and we couldn't be prouder."

Source: Marketing Brew (https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/just-salad-jalen-brunson?utm_source=&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=feed) / Source: retailbrew.com (https://www.retailbrew.com/resources/glossary/logistics)