Dirk Nowitzki’s long and successful career has seen him play with a lot of famous names: Steve Nash, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and even Luka Doncic spring to mind. The Slovenian was drafted in 2018, coinciding with Dirk’s last season playing basketball. However, one name that often slips under the radar is Jalen Brunson. Brunson was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2018 Draft, at the same time as Doncic, which means his rookie season was spent playing alongside Dirk as well.
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Nowitzki was interviewed by CBS’s Ashley Nicole Moss, who had a few questions about his thoughts on Brunson’s game and potential as an NBA player. Nowitzki, in reply, said,
“Jalen’s my guy I loved him when we had him. I think that was a tough loss for the Mavs. The way he handles himself, on and off the floor, a true professional and such a hard worker… I wasn’t sure that he can play that well, and carry a franchise, especially New York, we all know how tough the media is. I was a little skeptical, but he’s shown it, I’m so happy for him, couldn’t happen to a better guy.”
Of course, Dirk’s skepticism is not unfounded. It’s always hard to be a franchise player, and the task becomes even harder when it’s a city like New York. To add to his woes, Jalen Brunson is 6 ft 2. Rarely have we seen a franchise be successful on the backs of an undersized player, with the only major exceptions being Steph Curry’s Warriors and Isiah Thomas’ Pistons.
Nicole, to her credit, showcased her skills as an interviewer and asked Dirk whether or not Brunson could be considered a top 5 MVP candidate this season. Dirk simply said, “I mean the Knicks should be definitely relevant… If the teams do well and stay injury-free, he will definitely be in the discussion for sure.”
Brunson’s rise to the top
Despite being part of a Villanova team that won 2 NCAA titles, Jalen Brunson fell to the second round of the draft. Of course that had little to do with his skillset, and more to do with his physique. At the same time, Mavs had already drafted Luka to run the point for the future. At best, Brunson would’ve been a 2 guard to Doncic, or the 6th Man to run the floor when 77 needed a rest.
After a slow start to his career, where he got limited opportunities, Brunson got his first chance in the 2022 Playoffs. ‘The Brunson Burner’ was in full effect during the Mavericks’ conference finals run, where they fell short to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 21.6 points, but his effort and readiness really stood out. The series against the Suns proved to be a standout series for him, and he had 24 points in 30 minutes in their Game 7 blowout win.
Unfortunately for Mavs fans, the front office was unable to reach a consensus with Brunson on a new contract, and the guard left for NY that offseason. He blossomed into the Knicks’ franchise player almost immediately. Over 68 games in his first season, he averaged 24 points. His playoff run was a sign of things to come, as he managed nearly 28 ppg over 11 games. However, he truly came into his own last year.
After a long stretch on the sidelines for Julius Randle, Brunson took over responsibilities and led the Knicks to 50 wins, securing 2nd spot in the East. He averaged 28.7 ppg, which was the 4th highest in the league. His playoffs were even more impressive, as he averaged 32.4 points over 13 games.
He also became the fourth player to score 40 or more points in four consecutive postseason games, the first since Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals.
With the new pieces around him in NY now, there is more pressure than ever to deliver a chip to the Big Apple.
