NBA
Knicks’ PG Jalen Brunson does not mind the criticism around the league, says ‘It’s been the story of my career’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated24 Mar 2023
Despite their current three-game losing streak, the New York Knicks have had a strong 2022-23 season. They’ve proved they can win big games vs the league’s top teams. A 42-33 record has the Knicks at fifth in the Eastern Conference and they will be a tough first-round matchup for whoever they face. New York’s biggest upgrade this season has been the addition of Jalen Brunson. He’s been someone the Knicks can lean on in the biggest moments of the game.
The New York Knicks made what might be the best offseason move of any team last year when they signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract. He’s been everything the team could have wanted and then some. Brunson has carried the Knicks at times this season and he’s also elevated the play of his teammates around him.
New York Sports Betting sites have the Knicks at (+5000) to win the Finals this season.
Jalen Brunson on his time in Dallas:
“My vet at the time, J.J. Barea, he taught me so much and he was there for such a long time. I wanted that role of being with the Mavericks for the long haul of my career. I truly loved that place.” pic.twitter.com/IHTPZLHAPh
— MavsMuse (@MavsMuse) March 24, 2023
Jalen Brunson really wanted to make it work with the Mavs, but it never played out that way
The Dallas Mavericks did not want to make a long-term investment in Jalen Brunson and let him go to free agency this summer. New York snagged Brunson and took a chance on the 26-year-old who’s been doubted time and time again in his career. He’s been a major catalyst for the Knicks this season and recently opened up about being doubted throughout his career in an interview with Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
“Ever since I stepped foot in high school, it’s, ‘Yeah, Jalen’s good, but he’s just not that guy.’ I’ve never got my props until I accomplished something. It’s very repetitive, but I know what I’m getting myself into. Proving people wrong is not what gets me going. Unfortunately, it’s something that I have to go through. I’m not bothered at all by it.” – Jalen Brunson
His latest doubters were the Dallas Mavericks and he’s proved them wrong in a breakout season with the Knicks. Brunson’s (23.8) points, (6.2) assists, (35.0) minutes, and (.411) three-point percentage are all career highs. He’s also elevated the play of his teammates around him and that’s why the Knicks have had more stability this season compared to years past.
Jalen Brunson’s scoring and playmaking opened up the floor for everyone else and the biggest beneficiary of it all is Julius Randle. The two-time all-star was forced to take a lot of shots for the Knicks last season and Brunson has eased his scoring load. On top of all that it helped bring his scoring efficiency back up and earned him his second career all-star selection.
Media around the league believe Brunson was snubbed from this year’s all-star game. He can use this as fuel for next season to come out even stronger to earn his first all-star selection. New York’s next game is not until Monday 3/27 vs the Houston Rockets.
