Jalen Brunson is a star. The New York Knicks guard has continued to improve on the court, and he's also becoming a fan-favorite in New York. Brunson recently made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and addressed defying expectations.
During the show, Fallon shared article headlines from 2022 when the Knicks first pursued Brunson. The headlines were questioning New York's decision to pursue and sign Brunson in free agency. However, Fallon then revealed current headlines about Brunson, and they all centered around his emergence as a star.
How it started vs. how it’s going for @jalenbrunson1 since he joined the @nyknicks. #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/REbBMlFUZW
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) February 10, 2024
Fallon asked Brunson if he likes to prove people wrong, and Brunson provided an insightful response.
“I guess so. I feel like that's what people on the outside think, ‘oh, he's proving everyone wrong.' Yeah, but for me, I like to say I've proven myself that I belong,” Brunson said. “Like I belong here, I worked this hard to get here. While I am proving people wrong, I worked this hard to be here so I gotta keep that mindset, keep that confidence. Just make sure that doesn't waver in any way.”
Jalen Brunson truly emerging as a superstar
There's been an interesting debate over the past few weeks. The topic has been, is Jalen Brunson just a star, or a superstar?
It's a questionable debate in a sense. Sure, maybe Brunson isn't as good of a player as Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or even his old teammate Luka Doncic. But that doesn't mean Brunson can't be a superstar.
Brunson made the 2023-24 All-Star team, which was surprisingly just his first selection to the game. His numbers support his status as a budding superstar in the NBA. Brunson is currently averaging 27.2 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. He's also shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from deep.
Brunson is taking care of business in almost every way on the court. It's almost difficult to believe that there was a time when people doubted Jalen Brunson's ability to find success in New York. Sure, he had performed well with the Dallas Mavericks, even showing signs of stardom at times. But he still dealt with critics.
It is safe to say that Brunson has answered any questions about his status as a star in the NBA. And now he is becoming a celebrity in one of the biggest cities in the world.
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