New York Knicks fans are used to seeing their favorite team disrespected by the media. At times, it was warranted. Now? No. Leon Rose built the Knicks from the bottom up when he took over as president of basketball operations in 2020. New York went from an afterthought to a contender in a span of a few years.
Jalen Brunson arrived in NYC two years after Rose. He signed a four-year deal with the Knicks in 2022 free agency. Rose was criticized for overpaying the point guard, but that opinion changed soon after the 2022-23 season began. Brunson is a star.
He made his first All-NBA team last season and earned his first All-Star nod. He finished fifth in MVP voting. Brunson led an injury-riddled team to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs, but injuries were too much to bear. If you ask him, the injuries weren't an excuse.
Brunson's had quite the offseason. He took a massive pay cut when he signed a four-year, $156 million extension, was named Captain of the Knicks, and reunited with former Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges (and said goodbye to Donte DiVincenzo). New York is entering its most anticipated season in years after the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
The season hasn't started yet, but Brunson's already in the MVP conversation. However, there are still doubters out there who think Brunson's performance last year was due to a depleted roster.
Brunson seems to perform better when the odds are against him, but the disrespect has dropped significantly since two years ago. He's receiving more and more attention.
Jalen Brunson ranked No. 11 on Action Network's Top 100 NBA players list
Action Network ranked the best 100 players in the NBA. The list has received plenty of criticism. Celtics fans are outraged that Jaylen Brown was ranked No. 32. Knicks fans probably find that amusing, but some can admit that it's questionable to place the 2024 NBA Finals MVP that low.
Because of how some view New York, it honestly wouldn't be surprising if Brunson were ranked No. 32, but he's ranked No. 11. Jokic, Doncic, Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Embiid, Haliburton, James, Wembanyma, Curry, and Tatum are ranked above Brunson. Fans can argue that Haliburton shouldn't be above Brunson (insert Pacers fans saying Team USA picked Haliburton over Brunson for a reason here).
Does Brunson care about these lists that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things? No. He wouldn't have lasted one day in New York if he did. He deals with the pressure and expectations effortlessly.
Is it cool to see Brunson right out of the top 10? Yes, but again, what matters is how he and the Knicks play this season. All Brunson and fans care about is ending New York's championship drought.