Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks has received a lot of attention over the last year.
But he’s going to be receiving even more over the next few weeks as he helps lead Team USA through the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Performing on such a big stage could be intimidating for some because of the pressure.
But Brunson told Eurohoops that he’s not focused on that pressure and is instead solely thinking about winning.
“For me personally, there’s no such thing as pressure… Ego is left at the door and we just want to win and that’s the most important thing on our mind,” Brunson said, according to Legion Hoops.
Jalen Brunson on the pressure to win a gold medal for Team USA:
“For me personally, there’s no such thing as pressure… Ego is left at the door and we just want to win and that’s the most important thing on our mind.”
(via @eurohoopsnet, https://t.co/7JdPrkHsik) pic.twitter.com/EXTK07d2PV
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 26, 2023
That may end up being the right mindset for Brunson and his teammates.
They will need to drown out the noise and all the expectations for the team and instead just try to play to the best of their abilities, no matter the circumstances of the game or the opponent they’re playing against.
Still, it would be understandable if he felt a little bit of pressure.
Over the last season, Brunson has shown that he’s not afraid of being a leader and the pressure that comes with it.
Some people questioned him when he was signed by the Knicks last summer.
But during his first season in New York, he averaged 24 points a game and became perhaps the most important part of that roster.
He feels like the missing piece that the Knicks have needed for so long.
He hasn’t let the pressure get to him while he’s been commanding the Knicks and Brunson says that he won’t let it get to him during the World Cup either.
In the team’s first game of the tournament, Brunson scored 10 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds.
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