Knicks’ Jalen Brunson snubbed as NBA All-Star starter despite ‘making the Knicks relevant’

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was snubbed as a starter for the NBA All-Star Game despite making the Knicks “relevant for the first time since Patrick Ewing” in the words of Charles Barkley.

Tyrese Halliburton of the Pacers and Damian Lillard of the Bucks were named the East’s starting guards, with Lillard edging out Brunson because of the fan vote.

“Congrats to Damian Lillard,” Brunson told reporters, per The Athletic. “That’s it. … Dame is deserving.”

Barkley, for one, did not agree.

“I would have loved to see Jalen Brunson be a starter,” Barkley said on TNT. “I can’t believe what a great player he’s turned into.

“When he went to the Knicks last year, I was like that’s a good signing. That’s one of the best signings I’ve ever seen for a free agent.

“Nobody knew he was going to be that good. He’s been fantastic. He’s made the Knicks relevant for the first times since Patrick Ewing, plain and simple.”

Brunson is likely to make his first All-Star Game when the reserves are named Feb. 1. This year’s game is set for Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

The Knicks have not had an All-Star starter since 2016, when Carmelo Anthony was in the East’s five in Toronto.

And, of course, the franchise hasn’t won an NBA championship since 1973.

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Brunson, who was born in New Brunswick, N.J., is averaging 26.6 points, 6.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds for the Knicks (27-17), who are currently the No. 5 seed in the East. They are 10-2 since trading for OG Anunoby on New Year’s Eve.

Brunson missed two games this month with a calf injury, but it hasn’t slowed him down.

In his last four games, he has gone for 30, 41, 38 and 30 points.

His former coach Jay Wright has noticed some specific changes in Brunson’s game this year.

“Jalen has had a growth mindset his entire career,” Wright told NJ Advance Media.

“Every offseason he makes a plan of how to expand his game and goes to work,” added Wright, who won two NBA championships at Villanova with Brunson playing a central role. “He did it every year at Villanova and he’s done it every year in the NBA….[But] what’s most important to him is that the Knicks compete for a championship.”

“His mid-range game and finishing off either foot has become elite,” he added. “It all comes from his 3 being more effective and stretching his defender.”

A career 39% shooter from deep, Brunson is shooting at a 42% clip from deep this year.

Last month, Brunson went for 50 points in a win over Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, shooting a perfect 9-of-9 from the 3-point line.

“Great scorer, he’s got the confidence,” Durant said of Brunson. “That’s his franchise, so they’re all there to support him and put him in the best position that he can to be [successful].

“Hall of Fame player by the end of his career the way he’s playing up there, so if he keeps this he’s on a great pace to do that. But they all support him. They put in sets for him, they run plays for him, when he gets hot they continue to give him the ball.”

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.