Luka Doncic is currently being celebrated by the Los Angeles Lakers for his leadership evolution, which has come in the form of…drawing charges at the defensive end.
Sound familiar? It should. Jalen Brunson has been putting his body on the line for the New York Knicks ever since arriving in the Big Apple. Nothing has changed this season.
If anything, Brunson’s affinity for creating and absorbing contact is more impressive than ever, since it’s coming at a time when officials are calling defenders for flops left and right. He is currently in a six-way tie for the league lead in charges drawn. And as it just so happens, Luka is part of that six-player clique.
The Lakers are gassing up Luka Doncic’s Jalen Brunson quality
"I think taking a charge in general is just a form of leadership, right?” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said of Luka after the team’s Sunday night win over the Toronto Raptors (via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin). “You're putting your body on the line for the team. He’s trying to win. You see the competitiveness come out so many times on the offensive end, but he's competitive on the defensive end, too."
Once more, this should sound familiar. Well, semi-familiar. While Brunson’s commitment to winning and overall leadership are regularly lionized, he isn’t receiving pomp and circumstance at a national level for his defensive tactics.
Ever since joining the Knicks, Brunson has routinely placed near the tippy top of the NBA in charges drawn. Just look at these rankings year-over-year
- 2022-23: 3rd
- 2023-24: 2nd
- 2024-25: 4th
- 2025-26: 1st
This is absurd. It is even more ridiculous when you consider that superstars aren’t usually the ones who take so many charges. Understandably so, too.
Anyone who falls into the superstar bucket almost always has to power their team’s offense. Expending so much energy on one end isn’t conducive to throwing your body in front of full-steam drives and other players’ elbows at the other.
For even more perspective, consider how many All-Stars have also ranked in the top 10 of total charges drawn during Brunson’s time in New York:
- 2022-23: 0
- 2023-24: 1
- 2024-25: 1
- 2025-26: 2
During his first three years with the Knicks, Brunson was the only All-Star to ever rank in the top 10 of charges drawn. (Remember, he didn’t make the All-Star squad in 2022-23). Ironically enough, Brunson and Doncic were the two All-Stars who finished in the top 10 last season.
The thing is, JB’s 29 charges drawn more than doubled-up Luka’s 14. Though Brunson logged more court time, this doesn’t offset the difference. He averaged around 0.4 charges drawn per 36 minutes. Doncic clocked it at 0.22.
Jalen Brunson drawing charges is about more than just defense
This is all a great reminder that for as much as Brunson gets iconicized at local and national levels, he might still be underrated for his ability to impact the game beyond his scoring.
Nobody’s saying this should excuse his current offensive struggles. Nor is anyone saying he’s a great defender. He’s a liability due to his size. But he still tries. And that effort, even if it waxes and wanes, typifies his ability to lead emotionally and by example.
You might say, then, that Luka Doncic is entering his Jalen Brunson era on defense and as a bellwether. More basketball must be played before it’s objectively true. Rest assured, the Lakers are hoping it is.
JB’s results with the Knicks speak for themselves.
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