Brunson did not need to make the All-Star squad to persuade anyone that he is a steal at $26 million per player. As much as Brunson deserves to be at All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, the Knicks and their supporters did not require that type of confirmation.
They required a long-term point guard who inspires confidence in everyone, the type of quarterback who compels stars to join his team. Throughout their most recent era of dominance in the 1990s, the New York Knicks have fielded numerous notable point guards.
They simply haven’t had any who have been in the organization long enough or consistently performed at a high enough level to build something substantial on.
Brunson has ended this run. At age 26, he should be in the middle of his team’s championship plans for the next roughly ten years. Brunson will not reach the postseason heights of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Kevin Durant. He will not be the top player on a team that wins the championship.
With Brunson as their leading playmaker, clear second option, and traffic cop who basically directs everyone where to go, what to do, and when to shoot, the Knicks can undoubtedly win the championship one day.
Although the Knicks have made numerous mistakes over the years, it seems unlikely that they will add this one to the list. Brunson has been a walk-off home run for team president Leon Rose, a man who is accustomed to striking out. He is a point guard who must spend his entire prime at Madison Square Garden.
Everyone witnessed Brunson’s big-game prowess alongside Luka Doncic on the Mavericks’ thrilling run to the Western Conference finals last season, but nobody, not even the most optimistic New Yorker, anticipated him to be such a backcourt force in his first season at Madison Square Garden. Even his former college teammate (at Villanova) and current NBA player, Josh Hart, was skeptical that it would ever look like this.
“I knew he would have a long NBA career, but I didn’t expect him to play as well as he does now,” Hart said. … He embodies all the qualities you would desire in a franchise leader.”
Jalen Brunson, the son of former NBA point guard and current Knicks assistant Rick Brunson, compensates for his lack of athleticism and quickness by creating space and angles with his institutional knowledge and large frame. He can score in the lane and around the basket, and he makes 41% of his 3-point attempts.
In recent weeks, it seems that every other time you looked up, Brunson was attempting to score 40 points. After 60 games, the Knicks have a 33-27 record, an eight-game improvement over their record at the same time previous season.
Yet, it is not just about the score or any other standard metric. Brunson’s value is beyond the scope of the box score. When asked early in the season to describe what makes Brunson a formidable opponent, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers responded, “Leadership. Toughness. Huge shot maker. Winner. Besides that… [laughing]. In truth, I believe that he excels in all of these skills. I don’t believe there is anything about him that stands out, other than the intangible qualities that made him a great player.”
Last season, Julius Randle spiraled into a complete mess, but these intangibles brought out his best. Randle stated that the game is more easier for him this year than it was even two years ago, when he was chosen an All-Star for the first time, and Brunson is largely responsible.
Randle stated, “He is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.” I cannot say enough about the locker room camaraderie and energy he provides.
All of this was mentioned by Randle a month before he was named an All-Star. Brunson should have received the same respect up front, rather than waiting to see if he would replace a player who was injured and selected before him. He handled the situation without taking it personally.
He stated, “My reaction was for Julius.” “I was ecstatic for him.
Many athletes believe they are required to say certain things for public consumption. Brunson’s actions and his kindness demonstrate that he meant what he said. He understands that the Knicks did not sign him only for his ability to score baskets and pass the ball.
Also, they signed him to promote players like Randle.
Players throughout the league have taken note. The NBA is a small community where there are no true secrets, and word has spread that Brunson is a pleasure to play with.
Even if he isn’t selected for the All-Star Game, Brunson will be a major draw whenever the Knicks have a genuine chance of signing the superstar who could help them win their first championship since 1973.
»Brunson must be the cornerstone of the Knicks’ long-term title aspirations«