"I'm not going": Charles Barkley threatens to abandon NBA All-Star game in Indianapolis if New York star misses out
NBA legend and broadcaster Charles Barkley recently shared his thoughts on New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson. Barkley expressed no interest in attending the 2024 NBA All-Star Game this coming February if Brunson wasn't named an All-Star this year:
"Jalen Brunson better make the All-Star team or I'm not going to Indianapolis. I'm telling you, if Jalen Brunson is not an All-Star, I am not going."
Brunson is currently one of the best players for the New York Knicks alongside Julius Randle. Both stars have similar numbers and have carried the Knicks to a 23-17 record. They may be ranked seventh in the Eastern Conference right now, but they're only 0.5 games behind the fourth-placed Cleveland Cavaliers who have a 23-15 record.
Looking at Jalen Brunson's season performance so far for New York Knicks
Ever since moving to the New York Knicks last season, Jalen Brunson immediately budded into a star capable of carrying his team to success. Last season, Brunson, alongside Julius Randle, secured the fifth seed and led the Knicks to a decent playoff run exiting in the second round. While that doesn't seem too impressive, it's a significant improvement from placing 11th in the East in the 2021-22 season.
With that in mind, it was clear that Jalen Brunson was the missing piece to the puzzle for the Knicks. Fast forward to the present day, Brunson is once again putting up star numbers averaging 25.8 points, 6.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He currently leads his team in scoring and assists, which is a clear sign that he's arguably the best player on the Knicks squad today.
Brunson's shooting has also been efficient knocking down 42.4% of his 3-point shots and 46.9% overall. It's no wonder Charles Barkley feels that Brunson should be named an All-Star this season.
Unfortunately for the Knicks star, being named an All-Star will depend on the fans' votes. Naturally, fans would tend to vote for more well-known figures like Steph Curry or LeBron James before digging deep into the NBA's pool of players. However, given how Brunson has helped put New York back on the radar of contenders in the East, it's likely that fans are aware of his contributions and could vote for him to be selected to his first All-Star game.
Prior to the beginning of this season, Jalen Brunson proved his worth as a player when he participated in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines. Being able to represent Team USA under Steve Kerr, Tyronn Lue and Erik Spoelstra's tutelage says a lot about how far he's come as a basketball player. Being named an All-Star this season would further legitimize his status as one of the best today.