Knicks Guard Reveals All-Star Mentality

The New York Knicks have an All-Star guard for a reason.

Feb 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to drive to the basket in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is entering his second All-Star Game, so he's been at the rodeo before and knows how to act.

However, Brunson admits that there is not much of a difference in how he's handling his second All-Star experience compared to his first one.

“I have a decent circle who keeps me humble,” Brunson told Steve Popper of Newsday h/t ClutchPoints writer Sonny Guiliano.

“So no. I think my mindset stays the same where I just want to get better. I know there’s a lot more for me to achieve. I want to win. All the individual stuff is great. I’m really thankful. It’s goals of mine, of course, but the main thing is for me to win. That’s what I focus on. When I focus on that, the individual stuff comes. But my main focus is just winning. It’s always been that way.”

Brunson should clearly keep doing what he's been doing since he arrived with the Knicks, because it is working in his favor. He has emerged as New York's top option over the last three seasons and he's been named an All-Star in the last two while leading the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs twice.

With that in mind, maybe it's a good thing that he isn't reinventing the wheel.

“Like I said, you’d be surprised at how humble my circle keeps me, and I love it that way,” Brunson said.

“I don’t want to change. I don’t want anything to change about me. The way I was raised, the way I want to raise my kids — to work hard and be humble and do all that stuff. Obviously still be confident in yourself, but understand there’s bigger things and better things to be proud of and accomplish.”

That being said, Brunson does want to change his trajectory from playoff participant to NBA champion, and in order to do that, there may need to be a small change or two.

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