Michael Porter Jr. is an NBA champion who just put together the best scoring season of his career. Yet on one night in Manhattan, none of that seemed to matter. The Brooklyn Nets star was about to get quite the reminder of who currently owns New York.

The moment surfaced on July 26 through footage recorded by @jairo.media and redistributed by New York Basketball. Porter reached the entrance of a luxury establishment on East 16th Street in Manhattan with former Denver Nuggets teammate Peyton Watson nearby. But what happened when Brunson appeared behind them made for quite the contrast.

Porter reached the door first, only for security to stop him for a guest-list check. Then came Brunson. The Knicks captain approached from behind while Porter was still being checked, only for staff to recognize him and wave him straight through with, “Go right in.” Porter remained calm as security verified his reservation before allowing him inside moments later.

Then again, instant recognition probably comes with the territory after what Brunson just did for New York. The Knicks captain ended the franchise’s 53-year championship drought by leading New York past the San Antonio Spurs in five games, saving one of his biggest performances for last. Brunson dropped 45 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, in the 94-90 Game 5 clincher before being named Finals MVP.

Those 45 points also tied Michael Jordan for the most ever scored on the road in an NBA Finals-clinching game and set a Knicks single-game scoring record in the Finals.

Jalen Brunson’s New York Treatment Isn’t Limited to One Door

The East 16th Street treatment was hardly Brunson’s only taste of his new status. At Fanatics Fest NYC, photo opportunities with the Finals MVP were priced between $935 and $1,000. Even at that price, the slots completely sold out weeks before the event opened, putting Brunson among the convention’s fastest-selling attractions.

The reception followed him back to Madison Square Garden, too. At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 18, Brunson received a huge ovation from the sold-out crowd before appearing ringside alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Roman Reigns. Reigns even presented him with a custom WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt while the Larry O’Brien Trophy was displayed inside the ring.

And those were only the entertainment stops. Brunson had already helped lead the championship parade through the Canyon of Heroes before the team received Keys to the City at City Hall. In barely more than a month, the Knicks captain had gone from Finals MVP to a fixture of New York’s biggest stages.

That is what makes Porter’s few seconds at the door so striking. This wasn’t an unknown player standing behind Brunson. The former NBA champion had just averaged a career-high 24.2 points to go with 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 52 starts for Brooklyn, shooting 46.3% from the field while becoming the Nets’ primary scoring option.

None of that means Porter was turned away or even particularly bothered. The footage shows him staying calm, completing the brief guest-list check and entering moments later. But the few seconds before that told their own story. One NBA champion had to confirm he belonged on the list. The other no longer needed an introduction.