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Knicks: 3 East All-Star favorites Jalen Brunson is outplaying

By Jordanna Clark

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 04: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts late in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on January 04, 2023 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 04: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts late in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on January 04, 2023 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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If there’s one player that deserves to be an Eastern Conference All-Star that hasn’t been listed on the first two fan returns, it’s New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson. New York’s front office (aka his godfather Leon Rose) deserves a ton of praise for luring Brunson away from the Mavericks to sign a four-year, $104 million deal in free agency with the Knicks.

Brunson is in his fifth year in the league since being drafted in the second round by Dallas in 2018 and he could receive his first All-Star honor in his first season in New York. However, Knicks fans have less than a week to vote for Brunson to go to Salt Lake City. After voting ends on Jan. 21, it’ll be up to players and a media panel to account for the remaining 50 percent of the vote (25 percent each) with fans making up the other 50 percent.

There isn’t anyone out there that can make a valid argument as to why Brunson shouldn’t be an All-Star, but you know that there are Knicks haters out there that are still claiming that Brunson was “overpaid.” How long are they going to try to keep that one going?

As fan voting wraps up, let’s take a look at three Eastern Conference backcourt players that are in the top 10 over Jalen Brunson when they shouldn’t be.

3 Eastern Conference All-Star favorites that Knicks’ Jalen Brunson has outperformed

3: Derrick Rose

Really? Derrick Rose, who isn’t even in New York’s rotation, has received more fan votes than Jalen Brunson? The same Derrick Rose that’s averaging 5.8 points and 1.8 assists and has played in only 26 games? Come on, Knicks fans, this is one that you should be ashamed of even though Rose is Brunson’s teammate.

What makes this even worse is that Rose hasn’t received 298,100 votes from Knicks fans. Instead, D-Rose’s own fan base has propelled the veteran guard’s name into the top 10. Those same fans are likely hoping that Rose will end up getting traded so that he can receive playing time elsewhere. There’s a big chance that by the time All-Star Weekend rolls around in mid-February, Rose will no longer be on New York’s roster.

Brunson and Rose’s relationship dates back to D-Rose’s time in Chicago when Brunson attended Stevenson High School. Similar to how things currently are in New York, Brunson’s father was an assistant on Tom Thibodeau’s Bulls staff, so little Brunson was a regular face at Chicago’s practice facility. Surely Rose would prefer for Brunson, a player that undoubtedly deserves it, to be in the top 10 All-Star votes over himself.

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