Bucks' Portis Mocks Knicks' Brunson for Flopping

Milwaukee forward says he knows Brunson's tendency to fall off screens

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis mocked New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson for his tendency to flop and fall off screens during a recent game. Portis, who played with Brunson on the 2023 U.S. national team, said he knows Brunson's habit of exaggerating contact and mimicked it on the court, leading to an exchange between the two players.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the gamesmanship and rivalries that can develop between NBA players, even those who have played together in the past. Brunson's flopping has been a point of criticism from opponents for years, but it has not slowed his rise to stardom with the Knicks.

The details

In a recent appearance on the "Run It Back" show, Portis recounted a play where he intentionally mimicked Brunson's tendency to flop off screens. Portis said he knew Brunson would exaggerate contact, so he "did an emulation" of it right in front of Brunson, who then confronted Portis about it. Despite the ribbing, Portis acknowledged Brunson's talent, saying "Jughead be hooping though."

  • The incident occurred during a recent Knicks-Bucks matchup on February 27, 2026.

The players

Bobby Portis

A forward for the Milwaukee Bucks who played with Jalen Brunson on the 2023 U.S. national team.

Jalen Brunson

A guard for the New York Knicks who has been criticized by opponents for his tendency to flop and exaggerate contact, particularly when coming off screens.

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What they’re saying

“I call him Jughead. That's my nickname for him. I play USA ball with him. What's so funny is he ran up to me on this play because the play before that, I had DHO to hand it off to one of our guards and I had screened him. I know every time you screen him, he's gonna do this little flop and stuff and fall down, and right when he did that, I kind of did like an emulation. I kind of like did it and fell down to right in front of him.”

— Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks forward (Run It Back)

“Jughead be hooping though, man. He always torches us every time we see him.”

— Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks forward (Run It Back)

What’s next

The two teams are scheduled to face off again on March 15, 2026, giving Brunson a chance to respond to Portis' antics.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the competitive nature of the NBA and the gamesmanship that can occur between players, even those who have played together in the past. While Portis was able to get under Brunson's skin, it's clear he still respects the Knicks guard's talent and ability to "hoop."