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Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Julius Randle recently discussed Randle's insane talent back in the day which nearly got Brunson and Hart to quit playing basketball. During their high school playing days, the three New York Knicks stars faced off against each other at one point. Among them, Randle was the most prominent player. He was athletically gifted and knew how to use his abilities on the court, which ultimately got him drafted as the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
True enough, Brunson and Hart recently reminisced about the time they saw Randle for the first time in high school. They humorously shared the story on the Roommates Show podcast about when they witnessed Randle executing several flashy dunks during pregame warm-ups.
Seeing an intimidating presence on the hardwood had Brunson and Hart hilariously thinking about switching careers.
Jalen Brunson: Second-round pick to NBA star
Jalen Brunson was named an All-Star player this season for the first time in his career. However, his rise to stardom didn't come in typical fashion. Back in the 2018 NBA Draft, Brunson was selected as the 33rd pick in the second round. Being drafted so low, nobody expected him to perform at an elite level in the league.
During his rookie season, he played for the Dallas Mavericks where he exceeded expectations. While his numbers weren't impressive, it was undoubtedly better than expected, considering how he showed potential on the hardwood. Averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in his first year, Brunson secured a reprising position in the starting lineup. Brunson started in 38 games and clocked in 21.8 minutes per game.
In his third season with the Mavericks, he managed to rank fourth among the leaders for the Sixth Man of the Year award. Jalen averaged 12.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, and 3.4 rpg. He only got better from this point forward.
In the 2021-22 season, Jalen Brunson proved to the basketball world that he has the potential to become a star. He ranked 11th for the Most Improved Player award with averages of 16.3 ppg, 4.8 apg, and 3.9 rpg. His efforts enabled Dallas to trust him more, rewarding him with 61 starts out of 79 games.
Unfortunately for the Dallas Mavericks, they wasted their opportunity with Jalen Brunson, given how they took their time offering a contract extension to him. This resulted in the 27-year-old exploring for more opportunities and signing with the New York Knicks last season.
It appears that signing with the Knicks was the best decision after all. Brunson has finally emerged as one of the biggest stars in the league today. In his first season, he averaged 24.0 ppg, 6.2 apg, and 3.5 rpg. It's a shame he was snubbed for an All-Star appearance last year as he proved he was more than deserving.
Ultimately, Jalen Brunson realized one of his goals this year. As a one-time All-Star, Brunson is averaging 27.6 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3.7 rpg, and 1.0 spg. He's currently carrying the Knicks without Julius Randle by his side. New York is ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference and is seen as one of the dark horses to make a deep playoff run this year.
