New York Knicks: All Brandon Jennings Wants Is To Win
New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings doesn’t care about individual accolades. All he wants to do is help his team win.
The New York Knicks made waves with four high-profile offseason moves. New York hired Jeff Hornacek to be the new head coach, traded for Derrick Rose, and signed Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee.
Perhaps the most underrated move of the 2016 offseason was the Knicks’ decision to sign Brandon Jennings to a one-year deal.
Jennings was receiving All-Star buzz when he ruptured his achilles tendon on January 24, 2015. He struggled with his efficiency in 2015-16, but managed to remain active once he made his return.
On Sunday, August 28, Jennings took on yet another brave task: battling the basketball fans of Twitter.
A bold claim, but one that Knicks fans should be happy to read.
Jennings prioritizes victory over individual accolades. Not everyone needs to agree with his take on the matter, but it’s a testament to his will to win that he’d rather be a role player with seven rings than a franchise player without one.
As one might expect, Jennings encountered the wrath of basketball Twitter.
It continued:
That’s the ultimate comeback.
Horry never had the most gaudy statistics, but he always showed up in the playoffs. As Jennings pointed out, that’s the most important time for a player to show up and make an impact.
Jennings heard many rebuttals, but he didn’t back down. The only thing Jennings is playing for is a ring.
He continued with the most pertinent quote of the day:
That sounds like a true Phil Jackson player.
For those who are unfamiliar, Robert Horry won seven NBA championships. He was a key role player on all seven of those teams, earning the nickname, “Big Shot Bob,” for his penchant to hit big shots in clutch moments.
Though he never once made an All-Star Game, Horry won multiple championships with three different organizations.
Horry is the ultimate proof that great role players can make all the difference.
Reggie Miller, meanwhile, was a five-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA honoree, and retired as the all-time leader in 3-point field goals made. He never won a championship, however, which is the only blemish on his resume.
Miller is in the Hall of Fame and Horry isn’t. Horry has seven rings and Miller has zero.
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Knicks fans should be ecstatic to know that Jennings would rather win than achieve individual glory.