Knicks' Jalen Brunson making case for NBA MVP
When the Knicks signed Jalen Brunson in the summer of 2022, reactions ranged from calling him overpaid to expecting a return to the playoffs behind some stability from the one spot. Even the most optimistic of fans and experts couldn’t see this coming.
Not only has Brunson far exceeded expectations and made his contract look like highway robbery, but he’s cemented himself as one of the best guards in the league, the lead engine of this team and a clear All-Star. He’s averaging 27.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists, shooting 51.7 percent from two and 40 percent from three.
His resume doesn’t end with his stat line -- he’s led the Knicks to a 40-24 record while suited up -- the team is only 1-4 without him. He also had multiple record-breaking performances, including a 50-point effort on 9-for-9 three-point shooting against the Phoenix Suns and the first back-to-back 40-point games in a Knick uniform since Carmelo Anthony.
His tenure began with skepticism about his salary, and he’s still subject to unfavorable narratives and idiotic hot takes from media members, but his play has been worthy of much more. He should be in the discussion for Most Valuable Player.
Ask ten basketball minds for an MVP award rubric and you’ll get ten different answers. That said, an argument for MVP usually centers around: being the best player on the best team, the best narrative, or the best statistical production.
Brunson passes all three tests with flying colors.
Let’s begin with the traditional best player on the best team argument. Brunson is clearly the best player on the roster, unfortunately, helped by his number two missing the last couple of months of basketball.
The Knicks may not have the best record on the year, but post-trade and fully-healthy went a league-best 14-2 in January, absolutely running through teams as Brunson scored 28.9 points and dished 7.7 assists on 50 percent shooting. They’ve since had to tread water down three pivotal starters against a tough schedule, yet have gone 10-11 behind Brunson’s 29.5 points a night.
Some MVPs can be won by clearly raising the floor of a middling team (Russell Westbrook in 2016, Nikola Jokic in 2022) or by leading a juggernaut via sheer dominance (any LeBron James season, Stephen Curry in 2015 and 2016). Brunson has accomplished both this year, doing whatever his team called upon him to do.
The narrative sells itself. Undersized second-round pick overcomes every label thrown at him, wills a storied franchise plagued since the turn of the millennium back to contention.
He’s playing winning basketball alongside his longtime friends, fully engrossed in the Tom Thibodeau and New York cultures. His media presence has kicked into high gear with a new hit podcast, a March Madness commercial and a general popularity jump.
Brunson’s had some remarkable moments this season, including a 50-point night on national television, a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day, a huge home comeback on the rival Indiana Pacers the night he was named an All-Star for the first time, and most recently back-to-back 40-point nights. He’s also been phenomenal both on and away from the ball, a quality not so prevalent among the top candidates.
This was the result of one of the best work ethics in the league, as Brunson has yet to enter a new season without improvement despite signing and outplaying the deal of his life. For 2023-24, we saw a major step in three-point shooting, namely pull-up frequency and accuracy, plus an increased effort and impact on defense, while most other candidates look very similar to previous seasons.
Statistically, Brunson may not be the triple-double machine guys like Jokic and Luka Doncic are, but he makes up for it in other parts of the profile. For one, he’s been a better shooter than most top candidates.
Brunson’s 40 percent three-point shooting on high volumes is in line with the season Curry is having. He’s converted that accurately despite a healthy amount of a pull-up and deep attempts, a performance from three unmatched by other MVP possibilities.
He’s been more efficient with the ball as well, boasting the lowest turnover percentage of the bunch save for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but eclipses him in assist percentage. Brunson’s basketball has come with fewer mistakes despite being competitive in usage rate.
Recently Brunson climbed into the top five in points per game, but looking at his scoring per 100 possessions since January, he’s been as much of a bucket this season as Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander.
It hasn’t been easy for Brunson to earn the recognition of the wider basketball world despite his outstanding play, and he’s still chipping away at the stubborn naysayers. Yet everything about his game this year says he should be considered a valid choice for the MVP award -- voters will just need to catch up on this fact.
