Justin Bieber's music apparently gives 'purpose' to Jalen Brunson's on-court skills.
The New York Knicks player visited The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon where he shared that Bieber's fourth studio album is an important part of his gameday ritual. Brunson also shared that the 2015 LP helped him with a few major games.
"I try to stay the same pretty much every game day to what time I wake up, what time I eat, what time I leave, like literally get in the car and go shoot around and do all the stuff," the 27-year-old said around the 3-minute mark of the clip below. "But I think the one thing that's a little obscure is I listen to Justin Bieber right before I run out."
Brunson clarified that listening to Bieber is an "every game" ritual. The player said he'll "shuffle" Bieber's music and detailed how the tradition began in college thanks to his sister.
"I went to Villanova [University]. My sister [Erica Brunson] put me on to the āPurposeā album," Brunson said.
Brunson continued to share that the album helped him win the NCAA Tournament with his team.
"I listened to it, we end up winning, and then it happened again," Brunson told Fallon. "So I was like, 'Oh, this might be a thing. And then we kept winning and winning, and we won the national championship."
Brunson continued the tradition even after leaving college. "So I was like, 'Oh, I've got to keep this," he said about the ritual. Although he's never met Bieber, he said that the 2-time Grammy winner is a "great guy" and has "great music."
Purpose debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its November 2015 release, earning Bieber four Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance ("Love Yourself").
Bieber could be bringing his magic to the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show this weekend, as headliner Usher reportedly asked him to be a part of his setlist.
