Can Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle Snap Knicks' Multiple All-Star Drought?

Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson can become the first New York Knicks teammates to make the All-Star team in 11 years.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 26, 2023

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New York Knicks

It's been nearly 11 years since the New York Knicks have had multiple representatives at the NBA All-Star Game. Back in 2013, it was Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler repping the Eastern Conference, as the two took a break from what became a 54-win season to do battle with the West in Houston.

That drought could end this season if Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson continue along their upward trajectories.

Randle is no stranger to the star-studded exhibition: if he can make the All-Star team this year, it will mark his second consecutive honor and the third overall for his career. All have been earned with the Knicks.

"(Randle's) path to a third selection seems pretty straightforward: make quick decisions, hit a respectable number of outside shots, and keep his energy level up," Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley noted. "He'll always get his numbers, but if he tallies them in a way that helps this team, the basketball world will recognize his contributions."

Julius Randle Jalen Brunson — Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The 28-year-old averaged 25.1 points and 10 rebounds per game last season, numbers well-deserving of his All-Star berth.

But some may argue that Brunson had an even better year, yet he still didn't make the All-Star Game despite fulfilling nearly every requirement placed on a four-year, $104 million contract that lured him away from the Dallas Mavericks last summer.

"Jalen Brunson is the other candidate, and you could argue he doesn't need to do much more than he did last season," Buckley said. "Per-game contributions of 24 points and 6.2 assists sure feel like All-Star numbers, particularly when paired with a tidy 49.1/41.6/82.9 shooting slash."

If Randle and Brunson can play like they did last year, both should be well-deserving of making a return and debut to the All-Star Game.

Randle, Brunson and the Knicks are set to begin training camp next week.

Published Sep 26, 2023

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.