In the off-season, NBA stars have gathered to represent their teams in the upcoming FIBA World Cup. Like every endeavor, FIBA has its own controversies and highlights. While clouds of discontentment hover around Trae Young and his USA selection, Jalen Brunson is emerging as the national team’s lead. In their recent test against Spain, Brunson scored a team-best 21 points with 9-9 from the field in the victory. According to FIBA, Spain is the No.1 team as the USA trails them at 2nd place. With two games remaining before reaching Manila for the tournament, the U.S. has advanced to a 3-0 record in their pre-World Cup tour.

Brunson’s game has raised several eyebrows within the tournament and the NBA. Team USA’s head coach, Steve Kerr, has overtly stated his liking for the New York Knicks guard. After Brunson’s performance against Spain, another renowned NBA name has high praise for the 6’1 leader.

Kendrick Perkins believes Jalen Brunson is a superstar

In his 14-year NBA career, Kendrick Perkins emerged as an NBA champion. He stands out as a revered teammate in the annals of modern NBA. His defensive prowess was pivotal in the triumphs of all the teams he played for, especially the 2008 Boston Celtics. On an appearance on NBA Today, the crew discussed the two teams favored to win the 2023 World Cup – USA and Canada – with Perkins.

The crew, Malika Andrews and Danny Green, asked Perkins if Brunson would be the top player on his roster after FIBA ends. To this, Perkins replied, “Absolutely. And Steve Kerr basically said it when he called him the leader. He’s the engine of this team. And at what point are we gonna start actually putting Jalen Brunson in the same category with the guys like Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown…” 

Perkins then briefly spoke about how Brunson helped the Mavs in their playoffs run and his recent playoffs stint with the Knicks. He acknowledged the offensive prowess the 26-year-old possesses and his ability to unleash in close game situations. “He’s a legit superstar caliber player… (who) gets it done when it matters the most,” Perkins summed up his take. He then proposed to put the guard into the conversation with other NBA superstars.

Danny Green sided with Brunson but in his own way. He said while Brunson is the “most-important” player in team USA, he is not the best.

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Jalen Brunson has secured his spot as Team USA’s starting point guard for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. It’s not just his skills that got him there, but his consistent performance.

Team USA Coach Steve Kerr is impressed by Brunson

Coach Steve Kerr is impressed with how Brunson carries himself on the court and earns respect from teammates.

Brunson stood out during Team USA’s practices and surprised the coaching staff. Kerr noted that Brunson is a natural leader, and it shines through him effortlessly, as reported by ESPN.

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Brunson, a former Villanova player, was in the running for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in the recent 2023 season. He made significant progress, achieving career-high averages of 24.0 points and 6.2 assists per game, with a strong 41% three-point shooting rate. During the Knicks’ exit round in the playoffs against Miami Heat, the point guard had four 30+ point games.