Jalen Brunson’s ascent with the New York Knicks has already earned him All-Star selections, All-NBA cameos, and MVP consideration. It may also have put him on the track to the Hall of Fame.
ESPN’s Zach Kram recently took a look at which active NBA players are most likely to wind up in Springfield once their careers end. While Brunson does not rank among 19 locks, he appears in the “29-year-olds on the edge” tier. For anyone who interprets this as JB getting the short shrift, the group includes Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, and Domantas Sabonis.
Though Brunson has long since graduated from “Just happy to be here” territory, this is one of those occasions in which he, the Knicks, and the fans should really be honored he’s mentioned at all.
Jalen Brunson’s ascent to megastardom is truly unique
Future Hall of Famers are not supposed to be mined using second-round picks. The list of players already in Springfield after being drafted outside the top 30 doesn’t even crack 10. And it features names like Manu Ginobili, Bob Dandridge, George Gervin, and Michael Cooper. Eventually, it will feature Nikola Jokic, and Draymond Green.
It may be headlined by Brunson himself too.
This notion has yet to fully settle in. And like Kram notes, Brunson still has work to do. He is just three years into his superstar tenure. Entering his age-29 season, he doesn’t have a ton of time left to build up his resume relative to peers who went kaboom much earlier in their careers.
Spearheading the Knicks’ first championship in over five decades is the easiest way for him to etch his Hall-of-Fame candidacy in stone. But there’s still a chance for him to cross one individual benchmark that basically guarantees his entry.
The Hall of Fame has an unofficial All-NBA threshold
Brunson has two All-NBA appearances under his belt. If history is any indication, he will need just three or four more to punch his ticket into The Hall.
Only four players have made five total All-NBA squads without getting the nod: LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Kevin Johnson, and Amar’e Stoudemire. Of this quartet, Aldridge and Griffin have yet to be eligible for induction. Johnson’s case feels permanently cooked, but Stoudemire still has a decent chance at receiving HoF honors.
Of course, if Brunson wants to turn his candidacy into a non-issue, another four All-NBA selections would give him six total. Nobody has nabbed that many selections, and failed to appear in The Hall.
Crossing that threshold is far from out of the question. Assuming he remains relatively healthy, Brunson should have at least another half-decade’s worth of in-his-prime basketball left. He may even have more than that.
Small guards who rely on physicality don’t always age well. But he didn’t rack up 2,000 minutes in a single season until 2021. And the Knicks may finally be positioned to simplify his role.
More than anything, Brunson’s sustainability has earned the benefit of the doubt. He is the first Knicks player with back-to-back top-10 finishes on the MVP ballot since Patrick Ewing. What we’re watching now isn’t run-of-the-mill stardom. It’s something more: potentially Hall of Fame-worthy.