When the New York Knicks acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, the instant reaction was that he seemed like the perfect fit for a Tom Thibodeau team. Widely regarded as one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA, Anunoby was set to join forces with one of the best defensive coaches of the 21st century.
Little did the basketball world know that it would be Thibodeau who helped Anunoby tap into the offensive potential many saw in him at Indiana University.
Coming out of college, Anunoby was something of a media darling among NBA Draft writers and analysts. It was in the midst of Kawhi Leonard's rise to prominence, during which time the San Antonio Spurs had developed their defensive ace into an unlikely offensive dynamo.
Thus began the saga of every athletic wing with a long wingspan, a strong frame, and high-level defensive instincts being labeled as the next Leonard if the right team got their hands on them.
Anunoby was one of the early beneficiaries of that ambitious narrative. NBA Draft specialists latched on to the idea that he could follow in those footsteps, casting aside concerns over his offensive limitations and highlighting his physical gifts and defensive prowess as a reason to make lofty upside comparisons to Leonard.
An injury derailed Anunoby's hopes of being a lottery pick, but eight years after he was drafted, he's finally showing that he can be the offensive player some hoped he'd become.
He's not Kawhi Leonard, but OG Anunoby is finally a dynamic scorer
Prior to the 2024-25 season, Anunoby had averaged upward of 17.0 points per game just once—when he tallied 17.1 in 48 appearances in 2021-22. He was never to be confused with an inept offensive contributor, but his contributions seemed to be limited to that of a player who could aspire to being a third option on a team with two high-level scorers.
Fast forward to 2024-25, and Anunoby is proving that he can step up in ways that few had anticipated him doing when he arrived in New York.
Anunoby is averaging a career-best 17.8 points per game in 2024-25, converting shots at a clip of .473/.366/.822. That's more than commendable production from the fourth-leading scorer on the Knicks, trailing teammates Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges.
With Brunson sidelined by an ankle injury, however, Anunoby has unlocked an entirely new level of his production as a scorer.
Anunoby's surge began shortly before Brunson's injury, and he hasn't slowed down. Over the past 16 outings, he's averaging 23.3 points and 2.8 three-point field goals made per game, compiling a sustainable slash line of .473/.378/.843.
Anunoby has scored at least 20 points in 13 of those 16 games, including a 35-point showing against the Dallas Mavericks and a 31-point outing at the Milwaukee Bucks.
Just when it seemed as though Anunoby couldn't elevate his game any higher, he has. He's averaging an absurd 29.8 points per contest over the past five games, and now has nearly as many 20-point games since Mar. 1 with 13 as he had in the 53 games prior with 16.
Only time will tell how Anunoby adjusts to Brunson's highly anticipated return to the rotation, but eight years after receiving lofty pre-draft comparisons, he's realizing his offensive potential.