‘King of New York’ legacy in trouble if Stephen Curry-like career doesn’t play out; claims ex-star

Gilbert Arenas drew comparisons between Jalen Brunson and Stephen Curry's career trajectory on the latest episode of the 'Gils Arena' podcast.

‘King of New York’ legacy in trouble if Stephen Curry-like career doesn’t play out; claims ex-star

Jalen Brunson draws comparisons to Stephen Curry's career trajectory

Jalen Brunson has stamped himself as the ‘King of New York’ among fans. Standing at just 6’2″, Brunson epitomizes the rise of the smaller guard in modern basketball. He led the New York Knicks to the second round in the Eastern Conference before a slew of injuries knocked out an undermanned Knicks team.

As the team enters the season with championship expectations, NBA veteran Gilbert Arenas cast his doubts over Brunson following Stephen Curry’s trajectory as a small guard.

Over the past decade, Stephen Curry has revolutionized how modern basketball is played. He has won four championships in that time period, cementing his place amongst the greats. However, even more remarkable is Curry’s dominance, given his size as a smaller guard.

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On the latest episode of the Gils Arena Podcast, ex-stars Gilbert Arenas and Rashad McCants got into a heated debate about Jalen Brunson’s ability to replicate Curry’s success.

You know there’s history, right? That means, that guard, at that size, winning championships as a number 1 option, there’s an actual stat for that. There’s only two players. Isaiah Thomas and Curry.

Gilbert Arenas told McCants on the podcast

Arenas questioned Jalen Brunson’s capability to bring a championship to New York. Even though the dynamic guard has been dominant, Arenas argued that his small frame may be an issue to his success. Detroit Pistons legend Isaiah Thomas and Stephen Curry are the only players under 6’3″ to have won a championship as the number 1 option on a team. However, Rashad McCants had a different perspective.

If it’s happened before, it can happen again. It doesn’t mean that it can’t happen because two people did it, and it’s been in the modern-day time.

Rashad McCants argued in favor of Brunson

McCants argued that Stephen Curry has set a precedent for smaller guards in the modern day to dominate in the league. Jalen Brunson’s smaller size may be well adapted to the way modern basketball is played, with an emphasis on shooting and floor spacing. He argued that Brunson could end up with a career trajectory similar to Curry’s if the New York guard continues to dominate with the Knicks.

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Can Jalen Brunson return to last season’s form?

Jalen Brunson has had a slow start to his season so far. The Knicks lead guard has averaged 24.0 points, 6.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds in eight games this season. During this span, the Knicks have been just around the .500 mark, with a 4-4 record.

There is certainly an adjustment period needed with the big offseason changes made by the Knicks. However, the team would hope to get Brunson back to form soon.

Last season, Jalen Brunson was amongst the scoring leaders in the league. He averaged 28.7 points on nearly 60% true shooting last year. Brunson took up his output even higher in the playoffs. He averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in the 13 games he played in the postseason. While his numbers this season are no joke, they are certainly a downgrade from the scorching offensive production he brought last season.

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The Knicks will now head to Indiana for a rematch of their second-round series with the Pacers. New York fans will hope to see their All-Star point guard regain his scoring prowess. The Knicks take on the Indiana Pacers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday evening at 5:00 PM ET.