When the New York Knicks pursued Jalen Brunson and signed him to a $104 million deal, some fans said he is overpaid. However, if you're going to ask New York native and Dallas Mavericks coach God Shammgod, that type of money sounds about right for a player of Brunson's caliber.
But why is that exactly? According to Shammgod, the Knicks are getting more than just a point guard with All-Star potential in Brunson.
“To me, they’re getting a great point guard, a great leader, a great person. A person that can score the ball, can run the team, and then most of all they’re getting a person that’s consistent everyday,” Shammgod said, via New York Post.
“They’re getting a person that’s an everyday person. And in life, not just basketball, to me there’s nothing more important than an everyday person. Everyday his energy is going to be the same, everyday he’s going to come with the right attitude, with the right hard work, and it might seem simple to people, but that’s hard. In life, not just in basketball, that’s hard in life, to get a person you know you can count everyday to be the same.”
Of course God Shammgod is not saying that Jalen Brunson will not have bad days with the Knicks. That's impossible in the first place. However, what he can guarantee is that the former Mavs guard will work hard, bring his basketball IQ and do the “right stuff” to help steer New York to wins.
Shammgod believes that is exactly the kind of point guard Knicks fans want: steady and reliable with leadership qualities. That has been missing in New York for some time now, but the arrival of Brunson should help address those concerns.
Brunson, for his part, understands there will be high expectations on him after his massive deal. Nonetheless, it does look like he's more than ready to live up to his contract and more.