Eastern Conference today, world tomorrow?
That may be the case for Jalen Brunson, who is considered the New York Knicks' best chance to represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in Paris. The star point guard is closing in on the American landmark, which should give Team USA a bit of an advantage as it prepares to assemble its squad for another gold medal.
Entering Thursday night's game, Brunson was averaging a career-best 28.4 points per game, which ranks first among American-born shooters behind Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece). , which ranks fourth in the league behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada). Brunson is one point ahead of Kevin Durant in Phoenix, so unless an offensive miracle occurs in the Suns' last two games, the New Yorker will likely take home the honor.
April 11, 2024. Boston, Massachusetts, USA.New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Brunson is indeed part of the 41-man pool from the United States (which also includes teammate Josh Hart) competing for Olympic glory. He previously headlined last summer's Asian World Cup in the United States, which ended in disappointing results. The finish led to reports that LeBron James was looking to win perhaps his last gold medal and assemble his own vast group to compete in Paris.
Even if Brunson's group falls short in Asia this summer, it's certainly worth keeping home the most prolific American scorer, especially one who has proven more than capable of being a top option on a playoff team. You'll feel stupid.
Branson briefly addressed the Olympic rumors in comments to WNBC's Julia Elbaba, claiming he was focusing on local issues rather than what was happening at home and abroad.
“It’s definitely on my radar,” Brunson said. “But that's out of my control right now.”
What Brunson can control is the postseason fate of the Knicks, who have an outside shot of clinching the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks' recent rapid rise (winning three of their last four games) has been paced by Brunson's scoring, including back-to-back 40-point outings this week against Milwaukee and Chicago.
