Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were both named starters in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Thursday night as representatives of the New York Knicks, the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seeded team boasting a 29-16 record.
Both Brunson and Towns have been posting incredible averages that could eventually lead to either being in the running for MVP honors, though they’ve already managed to rewrite the record books for their franchise at the mid-season mark.
“Karl-Anthony Towns, the center brought over from Minnesota this past offseason, and team captain Jalen Brunson were selected as Eastern Conference starters on Thursday night,” wrote SNY’s Philip Martinez.
“They are the first Knicks to earn an All-Star starter nod since 2016 when Carmelo Anthony was selected.”
“They are the first Knicks duo to be named All-Star starters since Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe in 1975.”
In an instant, Brunson and Towns became the first pair of Knicks in 50 years to be simultaneously voted as All-Star starters, a monumental accomplishment for the offensive-minded 1-2 punch.
Towns will make his fifth All-Star appearance and first career start in the contest as a member of the Knicks, while Brunson will be headed for a second consecutive appearance in the event as well as his first-ever start.
After being brought over in a shocking trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the season, Towns is averaging 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists on an otherworldly 65.5% true shooting percentage.
Brunson has contributed 26.0 points and 7.3 assists while shooting 48.6% from the floor as a 6-foot-2 point guard. This incredible campaign comes after a fifth-place finish in MVP voting in 2023-24.
As of now, it could be argued that the undersized scoring phenom made the right decision when he elected to join New York as a free agent in the summer of 2022.
With both players possibly being given added momentum after receiving the nod as All-Star starters, a general feeling of hope could spread throughout the Knicks’ roster as they gear up for a deep postseason run.
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