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Knicks Star Named Top 5 Guard

The New York Knicks have one of the best players in the NBA in Jalen Brunson.
Mar 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to shoot a three point shot against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to shoot a three point shot against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is rising quickly up the ranks as one of the best players in the NBA.

He went from being a second-round pick to a role player to a superstar for the Knicks in a very short period of time. Now, he is in the upper echelon of guards in the NBA as he hopes to navigate the Knicks to their first league championship in over 50 years.

CBS Sports named their top 10 guards for the NBA season and Brunson clocked in at No. 4.

"In May, Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history -- and first since Michael Jordan in 1993 -- to score 40 points or more in four consecutive playoff games. He had a total of 16 40-point games in 2023-24, postseason included; his former teammate Luka Doncic was the only player to have more than 10 such games. Not bad for a 6-foot-2 guy with a 6-foot-4 wingspan who went undrafted six years ago and, heading into his fourth season, couldn't command a four-year, $55 million extension from the Mavericks," CBS Sports contributor James Herbert writes. "Now a full-fledged superstar, Brunson agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million extension this summer, which was seen as an enormous sacrifice. The deal will allow the Knicks to continue building a contender in Brunson's image, with three of his college teammates alongside him for the long haul."

The only players that ranked higher than Brunson were Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks).

Brunson has accomplished some things that even some of the best players in history were unable to do, and it sort of came out of nowhere. Brunson is the example of betting on yourself and continuing to put the work in at each level of your career.

Brunson has consistently upped his game each season, and now that he is entering his third season with the Knicks and the seventh year in the NBA, he is better than ever.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.