He’s a hometown hero.
Knicks All-Star point guard and clutch playoff performer Jalen Brunson handpicked his own namesake sandwich.
Three local shops were asked to craft game-winning grinders in his honor for a contest hosted by the Knicks and DoorDash.
Brunson sampled each and trusted his gut — declaring the turkey confit, sweet potato and broccoli rabe on focaccia-style bread by Court Street Grocers as The Brunson — and calling it a “slick crossover” and “buzzer beater” that “put the contest into overtime.”
Since the Clutch Player of the Year doesn’t eat cheese, bacon or beef, Ted Rosen, the culinary director at the deli, wisely decided to use turkey as the base for the undefeated hoagie.
“They gave us a few guidelines to follow in terms of what Jalen likes, what Jalen doesn’t like, and we kind of worked within those,” Rosen told The Post ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday.
“It is turkey that is slowly cooked in duck fat for four or six hours, and then shredded and then we kind of make it into a patty. It’s a pretty indulgent sandwich.”
Captain Clutch also likes it spicy — so the sub is topped with Mama Lil’s pickled peppers, pickled red onion, red pepper mayo and drizzled with a mix of Crystal Hot Sauce and honey.
As he was researching a recipe fit for the Knicks’ king, Rosen discovered the Villanova alum’s favorite sandwich from Wawa.
“My go-to Wawa order is: a classic hoagie on whole wheat, with turkey, lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, chipotle mayo, honey mustard, salt, and pepper,” Brunson told New York Magazine.
“It used to be a BLT, but I don’t eat pork any more, and so I just switched the bacon out for turkey. But, that’s been my go-to since I was a little kid.”
Rosen and the other competitors — Comfortland in Astoria and Win Son Bakery in Williamsburg — made the sandwich for Brunson in the corporate kitchen at Madison Square Garden in February.
In late March, Rosen learned his creation had been selected when the Knicks debuted the video of Brunson’s taste test on its YouTube channel.
“So it was a happy coincidence that it followed the end of the regular season and into the playoffs,” he said.
The $20 sandwich is now available at all three Court Street Grocers locations — Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg and Greenwich Village.
NYC food influencer Danny Mondello, known as “Cugine,” was called upon by the Knicks and DoorDash to get Brooklynites to sample The Brunson.
“It was some real f—ing yuppie s–t. It was good though . . . It had a little kick to it,” Mondello told The Post.
Mondello, who runs the handle @meals_by_cug, which boasts 1.5 million followers, held court outside the deli in Carroll Gardens, once a heavily Italian enclave.
“Carroll Gardens is a bunch of old-school Italians, so they were like, ‘What the f–k is turkey confit?’ But they were into it once they had it. It was overall a hit, like his f—ing three-pointer.”
