From the moment Jalen Brunson signed with the New York Knicks, he became a superstar. So much so, that some are predicting Brunson to be amongst the NBA’s greatest in the next several years.
Recently, Bleacher Report came out with a list of their Top 100 NBA Players of All-Time. Brunson missed the list this time around, but Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes that by 2030, Brunson will be in position to make the list.
Prior to entering New York, Brunson was nothing more than just a solid backup point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 16.3 points per game in his final season with Dallas in 2021-22. After a highly productive playoff run later that year, Brunson signed with the Knicks. From there, the rest is history.
“If Brunson maintains his level of production in New York (26.4 points and 6.7 assists per game) from now to 2030, he’ll be threatening the top 80 of the career points leaderboard,” Bailey wrote. “Add that to a few more deep playoff runs for the Knicks, and contemporary fans may start to wonder if he’s on the same level as another franchise icon.”
The other franchise icon Bailey is referencing is Walt Frazier, who was ranked 43rd on Bleacher Report’s list. Bailey says that while it will take a lot for Brunson to surpass Frazier, if everything goes right, it could happen.
“Brunson might need to guide New York to a championship to pass Frazier, who won two. But in the NBA’s parity age, that’s within the realm of possibility,” Bailey said.
Brunson could be entering a possible Hall of Fame trajectory if he keeps up his elite production in New York. A college basketball icon in the 2010’s, Brunson’s legacy in the NBA has only grown even further, and could reach new heights should the Knicks win a championship anytime soon.
