Knicks' OG Anunoby Continues Building Case for All-Star Debut

The New York Knicks' recent Emirates NBA Cup win was a team accomplishment in full, an emphatic reassurance to anyone who worried that they'd take a step back in adjusting to a new coach and his different touch.

They earned the regular season's newest unit-wide honor in prevailing to the top of the in-season tournament's mountaintop, winning all the necessary games to hoist championship gold for the first time in over 50 years. But as far as the team's faces went, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns entered as known quantities and left the Las Vegas festivities with all of the All-Star intrigue that they already held. Those lead scorers, at least on an individual level, didn't take a step forward in the eyes of the public as much as they lived up to the expectations they'd previously set for themselves.

The same could not be said, however, for their third option. OG Anunoby backed up his new status to everyone with another instance of what he's been doing all season, this time on a stage for all to see. He's rapidly building steam towards making his All-Star debut behind some of his best ball to date, as the veteran showcased the whole package in that crowning event.

New York Knicks Forward Og Anunoby — Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) defends the shot attempt by Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during a game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Anunoby's Regeneration

He hasn't taken a massive step forward as much as he's showing all of his best traits at once. The longtime defender spent years quietly accumulating respect as a burly, versatile defender with the stout Toronto Raptors before getting traded to New York two years ago, and unlike some of his big-name peers, Anunoby's focus on stopping and deterring haven't come close to waning.

While not shouldering the self-creation load of other two-way phenoms, the big wing has stepped up his floor-spacing load with a standout start as a distance shooter. He's over 40% from 3-point range for the first time in his career, and that's arrived on over six attempts on a nightly basis.

The Knicks wouldn't have won the Cup had it not been for Anunoby, who didn't just come in handy as a switch defender. His game-high 28 points were built off of his shooting 5/10 from behind the arc, where he once again proved himself as the Knicks' best perimeter play-finisher along the wing.

It's helped his award push that the Knicks have stamped themselves as the team to beat out East, having now lined up a Cup victory to follow up their recent Eastern Conference Finals appearance, and the best teams are often granted the most representatives at All-Star weekend.

The longtime forward's role in New York's success hasn't gone unnoticed by peers, either, with Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle sounding well-aware of his importance to their strong start. His praise of the Knicks didn't stop after shoutouts to Brunson and Towns, as he noted that, "Anunoby, to me, is an All-Star caliber player."

“OG Anunoby to me is an All-Star caliber player“

— Rick Carlisle pic.twitter.com/M6wJ5yq2Wi
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 18, 2025

All-Star voting officially opened this week, and it would appear that the Knicks' third option has picked the right time to remind the casual fans of his value to a conference finalist in great shape to repeat, if not surpass, last year's playoff success.

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