I saw Brunson and Harden play for 1 game and knew they'd become superstars

[Atlantis]

Jalen Brunson and James Harden - both players were underrated by their ownership and management.

I wasn't really a believer in the eye test before, but now I think I'm getting it.

There's a certain way in which great players MOVE their bodies.

It's not necessarily what they can do with the ball - it's what they can do with their bodies.

Basketball isn't a game of top speed, but acceleration - which involves both change in speed AND change in direction.


Those split second moments that allow the offensive player to gain an advantage and find a scoring opportunity.

Any player that has that is almost always good. If they're bad shooters, they can practice and get better. But superior body control and agility is something that is hard to teach or improve. Those who have it usually have it from the very beginning.

When I saw Harden play, I knew he had it. I was like, damn, this guy's going to be the scoring champ some day.

And he was.

And I saw the same thing with Brunson.

I didn't know who he was. I just saw him move his body for a single game, and I was like, that guy's a problem.

And he is.

I'm not saying you have to have great body control to be a star - you don't. But if you do have it, and you're average at everything else (not a great shooter, undersized, etc), you can still be a star.

I'm thinking guys like Mitchell, Harden (in his prime and pre-prime), Brunson, Irving, Fox who have "it" versus stars like Jaylen Brown, Booker, and Kawhi who don't.


Here's the hot take - Brunson isn't just a star - he's actually BETTER than Luka, contributes more to winning games, and will ultimately have the better NBA career.

[Full Court]

I like Brunson a lot, but I hardly think you can call him a superstar.

[BigShotBob]

There's no way that Kawhi doesn't have "it" but Fox does

[Real Men Wear Green]

Whatever it is that Irving has I don't want Brown to catch it.

[999Guy]

Surprisingly good post for an obscure poster. Or any poster actually.

not even for what was said but where what was said is coming from.



Weirdly informative, weirdly interesting, weird take away “Brunson > Luka now and forever”, but definitely not a run of the mill post.


Add 20 more posters like OP to this place and it’s instantly the funnest place on the actual web based internet for me.

[Overdrive]

I'm thinking guys like Mitchell, Harden (in his prime and pre-prime), Brunson, Irving, Fox who have "it" versus stars like Jaylen Brown, Booker, and Kawhi who don't.


This is where your premisse obviously dies. Moving swiftly alone doesn't make players great.

[90sgoat]

I think with Brunson it was more his demeanour and body language. You could tell he was a winner and leader.

The interesting thing is that all these NBA players, even the role players, were stars in high school and most in college, and then they enter the NBA and they're the lowest on the pecking order. That has to mess with their heads. Look at someone like Dennis Smith Jr, who ruined his career, because he wouldn't defer to Luka.

Brunson was the opposite, he might not be a star, but he was clearly always a leader, so he wasn't bothered about his raw stats, because he knows that winning is also about leadership.

I think letting go of Brunson was a huge mistake for Dallas. Legit one of the most likeable players in the NBA. It does seem like maybe we have a Kawhi situation tho.

[Axe]

We'll see first how brunson will do this time with a new team in the playoffs.