Jalen Brunson was in the car with his best friend, Connor, fresh off recording an episode of his Roommates Podcast, when the honking and flashing headlights from the cars behind him started. Then his sister, Erica, called. As the older brother, he answered the phone in what he describes as “a very derogatory way.”
And then came the news: Brunson was heading back to the NBA All-Star Game — this time as a starter. Just one season after barely missing the cut as a starter, Brunson soared to third in the fan vote and second among both his peers and the media.
“I knew [being named a starter] was a possibility,” he said after practice at the Knicks’ Tarrytown training facility on Friday. “But I didn’t have my hopes up too high. Very thankful.”
Brunson will travel to San Francisco for the All-Star Game as a starter, joined by his Knicks teammate Karl-Anthony Towns. Acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade with Minnesota that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves, Towns has delivered on his promise to elevate the Knicks.
Together, Brunson and Towns represent the first pair of Knicks teammates to start in the All-Star Game since 1975, when Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Walt “Clyde” Frazier donned the orange and blue.
“It’s super special,” Towns said Friday. “I grew up in this area, and to have my name close to their names is something you just dream about when you’re young. So I’m super honored, to say the least. And I’m just really happy to have this opportunity to represent my teammates because they’re the reason we’re able to do this.”
Both players recognize that their selection as starters is a testament to team success. Yes, Brunson is averaging 26 points and a career-high 7.3 assists, and yes, Towns is posting 25 points and 14 rebounds in his first season in New York. But their All-Star recognition stems from the Knicks’ status as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed with a 29-16 record.
“I think it’s great, and they’ve had great seasons, but it’s also a byproduct of what their teammates are doing with them as well,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Winning helps them get recognized. Very proud of them and certainly felt they were deserving. And there’s still a long way for us to go, but it’s a great accomplishment for our organization.”
For Towns, success in New York has required sacrifice — a concept he’s familiar with after years of adapting to fit Minnesota’s revolving roster of stars like Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. In his first season with the Knicks, that sacrifice continued as he adjusted to a star-studded starting five that could arguably feature a third All-Star in Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, or OG Anunoby.
Towns embraced his role alongside Brunson, the Knicks’ captain and focal point.
“I just wanna win. If I’ve shown anything in my career, I’ve shown many times that I’m willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. I just want to win, and I’ll do whatever it takes,” Towns said. “This is Jalen’s team, and it’s always been Cap’s team. I just want to amplify everyone any way I possibly can.”
Thibodeau credited the duo’s synergy for their early-season success.
“They complement each other extremely well,” Thibodeau said. “Not only as players, but as people, as teammates. They care about their teammates. They care about winning. They’re both very skilled offensively — in terms of the pick-and-roll, their shooting ability, and their ability to score at all three levels — but also their commitment to team play. That’s huge, and we have a team full of guys like that.”
With two All-Star starters leading the way, the Knicks have a foundation unlike any in recent history. Brunson and Towns embody the balance of individual brilliance and team-oriented play that has the franchise eyeing its highest aspirations.
After all, the last time the Knicks boasted two All-Star starters, it culminated in the franchise’s most cherished achievement: their last NBA championship.
“It’s been a while for this organization,” Brunson said. “I’m just happy I was able to do it. I can’t really put it into words. It’s an honor.”