The New York Knicks are led by superstar Jalen Brunson, with Karl-Anthony Towns widely seen as their second-best player. The two were both named All-Star starters last season. That made them the first pair of Knicks to do so in fifty years. OG Anunoby's two-way play thus far has put him in the conversation to be a star on his own, not just a top-tier defensive specialist. He's making an All-Star bid of his own and revealed recently that you might just have to watch him play to appreciate him fully.
Anunoby says his game attracts fans with good taste
For Knick fans, watching Anunoby with an eye on the details is likely nothing new. The burly defensive force's physicality and instincts allow him to do anything defensively, from keeping up with an opposing ball handler to stifling a big man at the rim.
Anunoby claimed that those who both watch games and appreciate 'the little things' in the game of basketball might support him being named to the All-Star team. He was asked at an NBA Cup practice availability in Las Vegas about his candidacy for the All-Star team, replying that fans have to cut on the tape to see his case.
"If fans watch the game, beyond the box score, and notice the little things. And then, like, the two-way impact," Anunoby told reporter Simone Woo.
Anunoby's statistical averages through his first 19 appearances are solid. He's averaging 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. The 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game he's contributed to the Knicks' defensive efforts is his calling card. But this season, he's performing at a league-best level when it comes to skills outside of defense, too.
Through Monday, the British wing is taking and making the most corner 3-pointers per game outside of Doug McDermott, who has appeared in just two games for the Sacramento Kings. Yes, his defensive dominance will continue to swing playoff series in favor of the Knicks and enable teammates like Brunson and Towns' defensive defencies to be minimized.
But when those Knicks stars thank Anunoby, like Brunson did recently after the NBA Cup Championship? They might want to start referring to him as their "co-star," not just a guest star making a temporal appearance.