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New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson visited Back Bay Ale House in Atlantic City on Monday, July 1, the pub said in a Facebook post. The ale house opened in 2003 on North New Hampshire Avenue in the Gardner's Basin section of the city.
Back Bay said it has a "Key West feeling" overlooking the waterfront.
"Our restaurant offers a unique menu in a charming atmosphere with stunning bay views," the pub's website said. "Also, come check out our cargo container bar and outside bar."
Brunson isn't a stranger to South Jersey.
The second-team all-NBA star was born in New Brunswick and spent several years as a child living in Cherry Hill. He also reportedly owns a beach home on the Jersey Shore, according to the New York Post.
Brunson posted Instagram videos showing him dunking at Ocean City High School and riding a bicycle on the city's boardwalk in the summer of 2022. He also tweeted in 2023 that Memorial Day weekend on the Shore is "undefeated."
After attending high school in Illinois, Brunson moved close to home in Philadelphia to play college basketball at Villanova University. He won two NCAA championships with the Wildcats and was the consensus national player of the year in 2018.
Brunson was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2022.
The 27-year-old has emerged as the primary scoring threat for New York in his first two years. He scored a career-high 28.7 points per game in the 2023-24 season and led the Knicks to 50 regular-season wins, their most in 11 seasons.
Brunson is also part of an unlikely basketball bond between New York and Philly.
Fans have recently called New York the "Nova Knicks" because four former Villanova players are together on the same NBA team. Brunson has been joined by Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and new trade acquisition Mikal Bridges.
All four players were also teammates on the Wildcats' 2016 national champion squad.
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