This past summer, the United States Men’s Basketball team took home the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. It wasn’t the easy route to winning the gold but the Americans found a way to pull out the win once again.
The roster was filled with some of the best talent that the NBA has to offer and it showed out on the floor. Team USA was able to do pretty much whatever they wanted against the opponents, especially on the offensive side of the floor.
But one All-Star in the NBA feels like he was snubbed from the roster selection process. New York Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson spoke out about this, saying that he felt like he should have been chosen to join the team.
“The team was chosen before I broke my hand,” 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.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 24: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives past Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden on January 24, 2023 in New York City. Brunson said he felt like he was snubbed by Team USA.
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Over the last few seasons, Brunson has emerged as one of the better players in the entire NBA. He made the All-Star team in 2024 for the first time and helped lead the Knicks to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
He eventually ended up getting hurt in the postseason so even if he had been picked to play for Team USA, he wouldn’t have made it. But Brunson likely could have given the Americans a boost off the bench in scoring.
Last season, he averaged 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. He also shot 40.1 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
Brunson’s time with Team USA may be coming in 2028 but he will need to continue pushing the envelope with his game. If he can remain at the top of his play, he will likely receive an invite.
The best course of action that Brunson can take with this snub is to win. The Knicks will enter this NBA season as one of the favorites to win it all, behind the leadership of Brunson.
New York has a lot of talent on the roster, with multiple stars playing alongside each other. But Knicks guard Josh Hart cleared the air about whose team New York was.
It’s JB’s team,” Hart told me. “But personality-wise, work ethic, and all that, he acts like he’s just a random dude on a 10-day [contract].”
The Team USA snub likely will fuel Brunson and that could be a scary thought for the rest of the NBA this year.
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