Player Profiles - Jalen Brunson

 

With the offseason winding down and preseason just around the corner, it’s time to start gearing up and preparing for the next year in the association. Throughout the next month, I’m going over player profiles, breakdowns, and outlooks for the upcoming NBA season. I thought that there was no better place to start than the Knicks’ prize of the offseason: Jalen Brunson.

Brunson is a 6’1” guard, weighing in at 190 lbs. However, don’t let this small stature fool you - Brunson doesn’t let his size hold him back. In the past season, Brunson averaged 59.4% from shots taken within 10 ft, a very high number for a small guard. He also finished around the rim at a similar clip, about 59%. Brunson also has a polished back-to-the-basket game. He’s very savvy in the post, using a plethora of fakes, jabs, and pivots to get where he wants. Last year Brunson also averaged 58% on floaters, an invaluable part of a guard’s game in the modern NBA.

While not known as a three-point marksman, Brunson can certainly stretch the floor. He shot 40% on catch and shoot threes last year, which puts him in the upper echelon of shooters in the NBA. What Brunson can improve on is his pull-up threes, shooting them at only 31% last year. This isn’t a huge part of Brunson’s game though, so I’m not worried. On the other hand, on two-point pull-up jumpers, he shoots a scorching 48.5%, and on two-point catch and shoot opportunities, Brunson shoots an unbelievable 83.3%. With the proper spacing provided, Brunson can do a ton of damage inside the arc.

As for his assist numbers, Brunson only averaged about five assists last season. However, you have to keep in mind that he was playing with possibly the most ball-dominant player in the entire league, Luka Doncic. I expect Brunson’s assist numbers to go up a decent amount, playing as the primary guard for New York. On defense, he isn’t spectacular either. Being 6’1” with only a 6’4” wingspan, Brunson played slightly below average according to the statistics. When on the court, he had a defense rating of 116.7, which is six points higher than the league average of about 110. On the other hand, Brunson was the primary ball stopper on the Mavericks, which could have resulted in this low rating. On the Knicks, Brunson will be surrounded by plus defenders - Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle (when he tries). This can help mask some of Brunson’s defensive deficiencies.

In the end, the biggest and most exciting thing that Brunson brings to New York is the fact that he is a proven, winning point guard. In college, Brunson led Villanova to a national title, while winning national player of the year. Last year when Luka went down, Brunson averaged 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while playing one of the better defensive teams in basketball. New York has not had a real point guard in a while, especially one of this caliber. I am incredibly excited to see what Brunson can not only bring to this team but how he can help make his fellow Knicks better.