Knicks Star Ignoring Outside Expectations

The New York Knicks aren't thinking too much about their expectations for the upcoming season.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 19, 2024

Oct 18, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots a jump shot over Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks will begin their season in just a few days, and many expect them to be one of the best squads in the Eastern Conference, maybe even a title contender.

The Knicks know that they are supposed to be good, but star guard Jalen Brunson isn't paying close attention to what others say about the team.

“We don’t really worry about the expectations, that part of it," Brunson said h/t Posting and Toasting. "It is different. It is a totally different [team], but I think it’s good for us because we’re relearning, we’re reteaching, we’re understanding more and more what we have to do every single day. Once the season starts, you’re back at square one, no matter what team you’re on, no matter how much chemistry you had the prior year, you’re starting over again.”

The Knicks have a very different roster from last year, especially with the additions of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. The team also lost some big-time talent in Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, meaning that how they previously performed doesn't have a whole lot of weight attached to it.

The Knicks are a new team in a new season, and that's exactly how they are looking at it. If they set expectations too high for themselves, it will be harder for them to pull themselves out of a hole.

It remains to be seen what kind of team the Knicks will be in the upcoming season, but for now they are just focused on being the best version of themselves for each game in hopes of steadily improving until they need to reach their peak for the playoffs.

The Knicks' 82-game journey begins this week when they travel to face off against the main team they are trying to chase in the defending champion Boston Celtics.

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Published Oct 19, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.