Overview
- Hours after Lionel Messi’s hat-trick for Argentina, Bayless posted “Jalen Brunson has a little Messi in him” on X, linking the soccer star’s World Cup display to Brunson’s Finals run.
- The tweet generated rapid, heated replies with many fans defending Messi’s standing and criticizing the comparison as disproportionate.
- Reporters noted Bayless appeared to mean game control and clutch temperament rather than a literal comparison of playing styles.
- The comment sits on two confirmed feats: Brunson led the New York Knicks to their first NBA title since 1973, scoring 45 points in Game 5 and earning Finals MVP, and Messi’s hat-trick tied him with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.
- ClutchPoints also reported a controversial on-field challenge by Messi that drew criticism but did not result in a red card, and Bayless’s follow-up quip about Taylor Swift helped amplify attention to the episode and the wider debate over punditry.