From Lincolnshire, IL, to NBA superstar: The Jalen Brunson Story

He was a brilliant high school player, one of the best the state of Illinois has ever produced. But not many thought Jalen Brunson would be a star in college, too.  Too small, not quite athletic enough, etc.

They were wrong.

Brunson became a star among stars in college, leading his Villanova team to a national championship and, as a senior, being named the national collegiate player of the year—as high as you can go at the collegiate level.

But not many thought he would then become a star at the next level—the NBA.  Just not big enough, not quite athletic enough,etc.

They were wrong again.

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Brunson got drafted by the Dallas Mavericks and was an effective backup point guard for them. He showed some potential, but nothing that would indicate he would become an NBA superstar.

He was then traded to the New York Knicks, who thought they could make him their starting point guard. New York fans and NBA fans were skeptical. Brunson starting? Becoming the main man at the point for one of the NBA’s most iconic teams? It just seemed like too much of a stretch.

Once again, they were wrong.

Jalen Brunson has become not just the starting point guard, but has now developed into a difference-making NBA superstar, leading the New York Knicks into the NBA championship round (vs. whoever wins between San Antonio and Oklahoma City).

Basically, all along his basketball travels, Jalen Brunson has been proving everybody wrong. 

He has truly been an amazing success story. A Chicago-area kid who starred originally at Stevenson High School. 

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How did he do it? How did he make it all the way to NBA stardom? AsBrowning famously said, “Let me count the ways.”

First and foremost, he has an intense passion for the game. His will to win is off the charts. He is strong, tough and relentless when he plays, and he can get to the basket against almost any defender. His outside shot is not great, but good enough to be respected, and he has a mid-range game, which so many young current players do not have. He is not always the smoothest or "the prettiest" to watch, but he simply does whatever is required for his team to win.

Now considered one of the NBA’s best guards, Brunson will have a chance to take his game to even another level when they beginplay in the NBA finals.

Making Chicago proud, Jalen Brunson has indeed reached the basketball pinnacle. He has won championships at the high school and college levels.  Now, the NBA may be next.

Postscript: A number of years ago, I was coaching an eighth-grade competitive basketball travel team. For one of our big tournaments, one of the dads told me, “You know, I’ve got a good seventh-grader who would like to play for us.” 

I told him, “No, I don’t think so. This is an eighth-grade tournament. We can’t have any seventh-graders play. They just won’t be good enough.”

So I turned down the offer.

That seventh-grader was Jalen Brunson. Ouch. Not one of my better coaching decisions. I am pretty sure "that seventh grader" would have been good enough to play with us.