New York Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson recently touched on being left off Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on Team USA snub: “I thought I was deserving”
As he told Sam Schube of GQ Sports, Brunson had this to say about his expectations to play in last summer’s games and how he dealt with the snub (h/t Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar):
“Yeah, for sure,” Brunson said. “The way I played last year, I thought I was deserving. I thought I could have fit in. I’ve played many roles throughout my career; I could play another. But obviously, it just wasn’t in the cards at that time. And so, you move on and you find ways to get better.”
Brunson had a great case to make Team USA after an MVP-caliber season in 2023-24
Brunson was definitely deserving of consideration. The New Jersey native was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2023-24 campaign, signifying him as the second-best point guard last season. He earned such honors thanks to the 28.7 points and 6.7 assists he put up per game, along with the 50 wins and Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals he led the Knicks to last time out.
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Players who were named to the 2024 USAB Olympics roster over Brunson
Albeit, the Villanova product was passed up in favor of Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry, Boston Celtics guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, and Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton.
Curry and Holiday were virtual shoo-ins, especially after the latter started for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics, and has been one of their best players throughout the last four years. Brunson could have been chosen over White, though elite role players make the roster nearly every time out.
Haliburton, who led his Indiana Pacers to an ECSF win over Brunson’s Knicks, was another player that Brunson was in competition with for one of the final roster spots. Haliburton led the league in assists while Brunson finished No. 5 in MVP voting, but USA Basketball went with the Pacers All-Star instead, who controversially did not play in multiple games this summer.
Nevertheless, Brunson is looking forward to earning a spot on Team USA’s 2028 roster. He’ll need to maintain his MVP- caliber play in order to have a strong chance.
