The New York Knicks Are Relevant Again Thanks to a Villanova Legend
It only took about 25 years or so, but the New York Knicks are finally a part of the daily basketball conversation in America again. As a die-hard Knicks fan and Villanova graduate, I couldn't be happier about how they got here. But before we get there, let's briefly review their recent history.
Since an improbable run to the NBA Finals in 1999, the Knicks franchise has been various combinations of disappointing, sad, embarrassing, comical, and just plain pathetic. They traded their way from a decent roster to a mediocre one to a bad one, then even worse. They tried piloting those rosters with Hall of Fame coaches who were clearly looking for a big contract and little else (as evidenced by Larry Brown literally choosing his starting lineup based on whose hometown they were playing near). They handed the keys to the franchise over to Isaiah Thomas who hit a dubious trifecta by failing as a GM, head coach, and human being during his tenure.
Knicks decision makers almost came to their senses once, letting an aging Donnie Walsh start to build a roster by, you know, this crazy idea of acquiring solid basketball players and letting them develop together. As a reward, they made him trade all of those players away. Next up was Phil Jackson, who ran things in New York for three seasons and tried to force a brand of basketball that was stuck in the 90's. After publicly feuding with his star players, he left and the Knicks settled for an innocuous, uninteresting stint that ensured the team would miss the playoffs for seven straight seasons.
Through it all, two things remained consistent: (1) the insistence that star players definitely want to play in New York, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, and (2) those words coming from the eminently hateable face of James Dolan - the most inept owner in the history of professional sports.
Oh, there were glimmers of hope, like Linsanity, and a 54-win season in 2013 that resulted in the only playoff series win for the franchise during a 22-year period. But those fleeting moments of success happened completely by mistake. Jeremy Lin only played in 2011 because every other point guard on the roster was hurt. He was on the verge of being cut before Linsanity. During the 2012-2013 season the ongoing knee injuries suffered by Amar'e Stoudemire forced Mike Woodson to play a smaller lineup than he would have preferred. He ignored his own success and went back to more conventional lineups the next season, finishing below .500 and out of the playoffs.
Given this track record, it was tough to believe that anything but fleeting success was possible for the Knicks when Leon Rose took over in 2020, despite him making moves that actually made sense. This year, the Knicks reached 50 wins on purpose and I'm a full-on believer that the success is sustainable because they have finally latched on to an identity. An identity that I'm very familiar with as a Villanova alumnus. Since last year the team has been humble, hungry, tough and dependable - all traits that head coach Tom Thibodeau craves - and it all started with the acquisition of Jalen Brunson.
A two-time national champion at Villanova, Brunson put his name on the NBA map in the 2021 playoffs as a Dallas Maverick. When Luca Doncic when down with an injury in their series against Utah, Brunson stepped right in and torched the Jazz, sparking his team on a run to the conference finals. Thibodeau - knowing Brunson since he was a toddler and understanding that his performance was no fluke - pushed the Knicks to sign the guard as a free agent that offseason. Most NBA experts saw it as an overpay, but Brunson has already proved that the contract he signed is a steal.
Brunson plays efficiently on both ends of the floor, but maybe more importantly than that, he brings a relentless attitude and work ethic that shows in every possession. It doesn't hurt that no matter who he's playing with or against, he has the highest basketball IQ on the court. Brunson's impact with the Knicks was immediate. After a down year, Julius Randle returned to form. Young guards Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley found a new gear. RJ Barrett was working more efficiently. Yet things really got interesting when Leon Rose acquired two of Brunson's Villanova buddies - first Josh Hart, then Donte DiVincenzo. Two players that brought the same intensity as Brunson. As a trio, they've now infused the whole roster with a relentless mentality that's tough for any opponent to deal with.
It took the NBA a season to realize it, but Brunson officially catapulted to superstar status during the 2023-2024 season. He was named an All-Star, will likely be named to at least the second All-NBA team, and will get serious MVP consideration. That alone puts him in special company in Knicks franchise history, but just how great was Jalen Brunson in 2024? Let's investigate by comparing his season to the best of the best that called The Garden home. (We'll only go back to 1970, since the Knicks were mostly not very good before then)
Carmelo Anthony (2012-2013)
The main beneficiary of Mike Woodson's accidental success in 2012-2013 was Carmelo Anthony. Against his will, 'Melo lined up at power forward every night with three crafty guards along side him. The result was a career season. With bigger defenders guarding him, he could snipe from three-point range with ease, or attack the basket if they ventured out to challenge him. He led the league in scoring, got legitimate MVP consideration, and showed New York that he could be a superstar under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, it didn't last.
This year Brunson matched Carmelo's scoring output from 2012-2013, but did it more efficiently, and didn't need three other guards facilitating for him to get it done. The only ways that Anthony outshined Brunson here - rebounds and blocks - are by virtue of Carmelo being about seven inches taller. This one's easy, give me Brunson over this version of 'Melo ten times out of ten.
Patrick Ewing (1993-1994)
You could take any one of about ten seasons in Patrick Ewing's career and put them in the mix among the best in franchise history. That's a testament to how truly great a player Ewing was, but let's go with his 1993-1994 season where he led the Knicks the the NBA Finals. He poured in 25 points per game as the focal point of an admittedly clunky offense, but also anchored the league's best defense, which surrendered less than 92 points per game. The Big Fella willed a solid, but flawed team through a playoff run that fell just one win short of a championship.
As different as they are on the surface, there are some similarities between Ewing and Brunson. Both are respected leaders who are tough as nails, have a soft touch in the paint, and let their game - rather than their mouths - do the talking. I see it as neck-and-neck, with Brunson getting the edge if he can take home the ultimate prize this year.
Bernard King (1983-1984)
When it comes to pure scoring ability, few players are in the same stratosphere as Bernard King. Not only could he score in bunches, but he could also do it with high efficiency, and without the need for camping out in three-point land. In 1984 he was the runner-up for NBA MVP and put the team on his shoulders during a thrilling playoff series in the first round against Detroit. King averaged over 42 points per game and famously outdueled Isaiah Thomas (44 points to Thomas' 35) in Game 5 for a series-clinching victory. He then almost single-handedly took the Boston Celtics - the eventual champions - to a seventh game in the next series.
When Jalen Brunson gets into a scoring groove, it's reminiscent of the zone that Bernard King used to enter on a regular basis. Of course, even when Brunson's not scoring he does many other things that King could never do to help his team to victory. I'll give the nod to Brunson, although it's closer than you might think. King's ability to take over games should never be underestimated.
Willis Reed (1969-1970)
Is it unfair to compare Jalen Brunson to the only MVP in franchise history, a one-man wrecking crew that could destroy the opposition with his fists, a player who rose from the ashes to spark his team to victory in Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Of course it is. But the fact that we're even talking about Willis Reed and Jalen Brunson in the same sentence should tell us all we need to know about how special this season was. As an undersized center, Reed did things on the court against much bigger players that didn't seem possible, and Brunson inspires those same thoughts.
Brunson likely won't live up to the mythical standards of Willis Reed when 2024 is all said and done, but his combination of toughness and smarts would make The Captain proud.
Walt Frazier (1969-1970)
When looking back through Knicks history, Walt "Clyde" Frazier's shiftiness, physicality, and court presence as a ball handler can be rivaled only by Jalen Brunson. Clyde didn't have the luxury of a three-point line - although he surely could have been a threat from deep - but he makes up for that with pesky defense as evidenced by his being named to the NBA All-Defense team in 1970 (and six other times in his career). Oh yeah, and he may have played the greatest Game 7 in NBA history during the 1970 NBA Finals.
In order for Brunson to surpass the greatest of the greats in Knicks history, it's clear that he'll need to bring a championship trophy to New York for the first time in more than 50 years. For the first time in a very long time, there's warranted hope among Knicks faithful that Brunson could be the man to make it happen.
Hope ur wish comes true. I always have a soft spot for these guys.
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