Throughout his basketball career, and still even in the NBA, New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been underestimated. Every time he has accomplished something, the goalposts are moved back a little further.
When he left the Dallas Mavericks for the Knicks in free agency in 2022, many people thought New York overpaid him. He signed a four-year, $106 million deal to become their starting point guard and take over his team instead of playing second-fiddle to Luka Doncic.
The tune has changed about his contract, as Brunson is now one of the most underpaid players in the NBA, outperforming that deal ten-fold. Recently, discussions were comparing him, a zero-time All-Star at this point, to MVPs around the league, saying he isn’t a 1A player.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, New York Knicks Updates
Since those comments were made, Brunson has certainly performed like an MVP. He has the pulse of his team, knowing when he needs to be aggressive looking to shoot and score and when he can be a table setter, getting everyone else involved offensively.
Brunson is everything you want in a leader and point guard, ascending and improving each season he has been in the NBA. What he can accomplish offensively is truly astounding given the limitations someone his size normally has.
Standing only 6’2” and weighing 190 pounds, Brunson isn’t the biggest player on the court, but you wouldn’t know it based on how he operates. Despite opposing teams usually matching up bigger and stronger players against him, Brunson always gets to his spot on the court and capitalizes.
Despite less-than-ideal circumstances, Brunson has found a way to produce. As shared by Michael Grogins on X, formerly Twitter, what he is accomplishing is defying conventional wisdom.
The shot quality that Brunson has is near the bottom across the board. He has received an F for overall shot quality, a C+ for mid-range and D for 3-pointers. Despite that, everything else about his offensive gave is an A-, A or A+ grade across the board.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, New York Knicks Updates
That kind of success while not having quality opportunities is truly mind-boggling. On the season, he is averaging 26.6 points, 6.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and one steal in 35.8 minutes per game.
His shooting split of .475/.423/.832 is extremely impressive, as he is on pace to join an elite group with his production. According to KnicksMuse on X, Brunson could become only the third player in NBA history to average 26+ points, 4+ assists and make 100+ 3-pointers while connecting on 42+ percent of his long-range attempts.
The other two players to achieve those plateaus in a single season? Multi-time MVPs and NBA Champions, Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry.
It is about time that Brunson starts garnering some national attention as he is performing at levels rarely reached by NBA players. Not only is he playing well, the Knicks have been one of the best teams in the NBA in 2024, only strengthening his case for some accolades at the end of the season.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
