Grading each New York Knicks player in the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Jalen Brunson

When Jalen Brunson was announced for Team USA, there was speculation that he’d become one of the leaders on a youth-driven roster. Head coach Steve Kerr essentially confirmed as much.

Brunson performed well offensively, finishing fourth on the team in scoring with 11.0 points per game on 51-39-96 shooting splits.

However, it was often difficult for him to consistently alternate between a pass-first and shoot-first mindset, which ended up causing the offense around him to stagnate at times. For example, he had multiple games with at least seven assists, as well as multiple games with under three assists.

His defense was also less than perfect, and the rest of the lineup’s poor perimeter defenders didn’t provide any help either.

This led to him having the second-worst average plus-minus of any player on the roster. He often ended up on the bench during the closing moments of Team USA’s games.

Brunson still looks primed for a big scoring year with the Knicks, as his offensive arsenal appeared as deep as ever. He showcased his pull-up mid-range shooting talent, and he connected on 40% of his threes in the United States’ final three games.

An All-Star appearance is in the near future for him, despite his international performance leaving a bit to be desired.

Grade: B-

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