Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
By this point, no one can deny the Wildcat frenzy that is sweeping through the league. However, with all due respect to Bridges, Josh Hart, and Kyle Lowry, there’s one Villanova product that is a cut above the rest of the pack.
In his first season with the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson led the team in ways that Julius Randle couldn’t over the past four years. A steady presence in the starting point guard position, Brunson facilitated the Knicks’ offense with the composure of a 35-year-old veteran. (He’s 27, in case you’re wondering.) Consider as well that Brunson averaged 31 points and 6.3 assists per game in a hotly contested second-round series against the Miami Heat – the team that went on to claim the Eastern Conference Championship.
If we’re being completely honest, Brunson’s exclusion from the 2023 All-Star roster was a travesty in and of itself. Before the East All-Star reserves were announced in early February, all four panelists of Inside the NBA thought that Brunson would be one of the seven names. Right after Ernie Johnson ran through the results of the coaches’ vote, Charles Barkley expressed his surprise at Brunson’s exclusion.
That wrong will most likely be righted in 2024 when Brunson’s name resonates loud and clear in the minds of voters.