Without a doubt, Jalen Brunson has proven most of his doubters wrong after leading the New York Knicks to a meaningful playoff run. But for Gilbert Arenas, though, the former Dallas Mavericks reserve guard needs to do one thing to become a true superstar.
Before he was acquired by the Knicks, Brunson spent four seasons playing with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. During that period, the 6’2 point guard notched 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He also shot almost 50 percent from the field, 37 percent from deep, and 84 percent from the free throw line.
Brunson entered free agency and was signed by the Knicks in 2022. Since then, the point guard has established himself, not only as the Big Apple’s best player, but one of the most talented to play in the NBA right now. This is evident when he raised his averages to 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. He also improved his three-point shot by hitting 40 percent from beyond the arc.
His improvement helped New York clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference and eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. Unfortunately, Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers knocked them out in seven games, ending their season in the process.
Gilbert Arenas Bares His Take On How New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Can Reach Superstar Status
Even though New York failed to advance to the Conference Finals, Brunson clearly made his case as one of the best players in the league. Arena has a different take, which can be seen in a video shared by ClutchPoints on X:
“They’re never going to coin [Jalen Brunson] as a superstar until he starts winning a championship… You need a personality too.”
Do you agree with Gilbert Arenas? 🤔
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/YHr2nUbAIG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 20, 2024
If Arenas’ standard is to be followed, this would mean other ringless stars in the league aren’t considered superstars yet, such as Dallas’ Luka Doncic or Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards. Moreover, Knicks fans may disagree about personality as Brunson has embodied a gritty and never-give-up attitude that has given his team a whole new identity throughout a season full of injuries and setbacks.
While Arenas’ take may not come across as accurate, there’s no denying how far Brunson has come in his career. With the way he played recently, there’s a lot to look forward to in his future with the Knicks.
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