How New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson Could Be Closing in on Olympic Bid

The Eastern Conference today, tomorrow the world?

That well could be the case for Jalen Brunson, who figures to be the New York Knicks' best chance at American representation at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Paris. The star point guard is closing in on an American landmark, one that should give him a bit of an edge as Team USA prepares to form its squad for another gold medal run.

Entering Thursday night action, Brunson is averaging a career-best 28.4 points a game, which leads all American-born shooters and good for fourth in the league behind Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada). Brunson is over a point over Kevin Durant in Phoenix so, barring an offensive miracle over the last two Suns games, the New Yorker will take home the honor.

Apr 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball | Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Brunson is indeed part of the United States' 41-man pool (which also includes teammate Josh Hart) set to compete for Olympic glory. He previously headlined the American World Cup effort last summer in Asia, one that came home a disappointing fourth. That finish led to reports of LeBron James, perhaps staging one final gold medal of his own, seeking to assemble his own expansive group to compete in Paris.

Even if the group Brunson led did fall short in Asia over the summer, leaving the most prolific American scorer home, especially one that has proven more than capable of being a top option on a playoff team, would certainly feel foolish.

Brunson briefly addressed Olympic rumors in comments to Julia Elbaba of WNBC, claiming his focus was on local affairs rather than anything transpiring on the national or overseas scenes.

"It's definitely on my radar," Brunson said. "But it's something I just can't control right now."

What Brunson can control is the Knicks' postseason fate, which has an outside shot at landing the second seed on the Eastern Conference bracket. The Knicks' recent surge (wins in three of their past four) has been paced by Brunson' scoring, which includes consecutive 40-point games against Milwaukee and Chicago this week.