On Thursday evening, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks powered through to the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs with a Game 6 road win vs the Philadelphia 76ers, concluding what was far and away the most entertaining series of the first round of the playoffs. Brunson started off miserably in this series but ended with a bang, dropping 40 or more points in each of the last three contests to propel the Knicks over a 76ers team that looked a bit out of shape when compared with the relentless energy of New York.
This year, Brunson has blossomed from “nice player” status to “one of the best players in the NBA” status, earning an All-Star bid and establishing himself as a fringe MVP candidate, guiding the Knicks to the second seed in the Eastern Conference despite dealing with a plethora of injuries throughout the year.
Still, not everyone is so convinced of Brunson’s status as compared to some of his counterparts around the league. Recently, NBA insider and sports media personality Chris Broussard of FS1 broke down why he believes the Knicks guard does not yet qualify as a “superstar” despite his continued excellence.
“Slow down. Because you have a postseason like this doesn’t mean you’re a superstar,” said Broussard, per First Things First on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter. “…Here’s the thing with Jalen. If he had been a lottery pick, and come into the league, and in short order, been a star, then a postseason like this may have made you say ‘he’s going to be a superstar.’ But when you come in as a second round pick, you spend four years as a role player, no one thinks you’re going to be a star, I need to see more…. Is Trae Young a superstar? I’m not going to fall victim to the MSG pixie dust.”
Indeed, the allure of performing on the stage of Madison Square Garden, especially for the hometown Knicks, does add a degree of allure to a player that might not be applicable to others producing at the same level for lower profile franchises.
Is Jalen Brunson a superstar?
The answer to that question depends on one’s definition of “superstar.” Some are of the opinion that there are only four or five superstars in the NBA at one time, in which case, the answer would be no. However, others may say that a superstar is a player who’s good enough to be the best player on a team capable of making some noise in that postseason. In that case, clearly the answer is yes, as the Knicks are through to the second round for the second straight year under Brunson’s leadership.
It’s still fair to wonder whether Brunson is truly good enough to be the best player on a true championship contender, which the Knicks in all likelihood are not in their current state, although they are favored to at least make the Conference Finals. They will begin that quest on Monday evening in Game 1 of their series vs the Indiana Pacers.
