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Bildnummer: 12291320 Datum: 13.01.2013 Copyright: imago/Imaginechina Gilbert Arenas of the Shanghai Sharks looks on during the warm-up session before the 22th round match against the Xinjiang Flying Tigers during the 2012/2013 CBA season in Shanghai, China, 13 January 2013. Shanghai Sharks new-signing Gilbert Arenas led his team to another win at home on Sunday (13 January 2013) after defeating the visiting Xinjiang Flying Tigers. The former NBA Basketball Herren USA star gained 37 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assist to help Shanghai Sharks beat Xinjiang 107-104 in the 22nd round of the 2012/2013 CBA season. Gilbert Arenas leads Shanghai to another win at home PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY 20130114_00398; Basketball China x0x xac 2013 quer Image number 12291320 date 13 01 2013 Copyright imago Imaginechina Gilbert Arenas of The Shanghai Sharks looks ON during The warm Up Session Before The 22th Round Match Against The Xinjiang Flying Tigers during The 2012 2013 CBA Season in Shanghai China 13 January 2013 Shanghai Sharks New Signing Gilbert Arenas LED His team to Another Win AT Home ON Sunday 13 January 2013 After defeating The Visiting Xinjiang Flying Tigers The Former NBA Basketball men USA Star gained 37 Points 4 Rebounds and 4 Assist to Help Shanghai Sharks Beat Xinjiang 107 104 in The 22nd Round of The 2012 2013 CBA Season Gilbert Arenas leads Shanghai to Another Win AT Home PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY Basketball China x0x 2013 horizontal

via Imago
Bildnummer: 12291320 Datum: 13.01.2013 Copyright: imago/Imaginechina Gilbert Arenas of the Shanghai Sharks looks on during the warm-up session before the 22th round match against the Xinjiang Flying Tigers during the 2012/2013 CBA season in Shanghai, China, 13 January 2013. Shanghai Sharks new-signing Gilbert Arenas led his team to another win at home on Sunday (13 January 2013) after defeating the visiting Xinjiang Flying Tigers. The former NBA Basketball Herren USA star gained 37 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assist to help Shanghai Sharks beat Xinjiang 107-104 in the 22nd round of the 2012/2013 CBA season. Gilbert Arenas leads Shanghai to another win at home PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY 20130114_00398; Basketball China x0x xac 2013 quer Image number 12291320 date 13 01 2013 Copyright imago Imaginechina Gilbert Arenas of The Shanghai Sharks looks ON during The warm Up Session Before The 22th Round Match Against The Xinjiang Flying Tigers during The 2012 2013 CBA Season in Shanghai China 13 January 2013 Shanghai Sharks New Signing Gilbert Arenas LED His team to Another Win AT Home ON Sunday 13 January 2013 After defeating The Visiting Xinjiang Flying Tigers The Former NBA Basketball men USA Star gained 37 Points 4 Rebounds and 4 Assist to Help Shanghai Sharks Beat Xinjiang 107 104 in The 22nd Round of The 2012 2013 CBA Season Gilbert Arenas leads Shanghai to Another Win AT Home PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY Basketball China x0x 2013 horizontal
Jalen Brunson’s name is a hot topic right now because of the impressive career-high 50 points he dropped on Phoenix. Gilbert Arenas wished there was more respect attached to that name. Brunson is finally getting noticed since going from Dallas to New York. He’s the much-needed reinforcement Julius Randle required. Yet why wasn’t he getting the recognition for being this good his entire career?
Gilbert Arenas makes a peculiar comparison to project his theory. “He’s elite, his name is just not elite… Reminds me of Isaiah Thomas, that Boston year. He is the motor of the team but the name doesn’t match the game,” Arenas said on Gil’s Arena seemingly stumping even his cohorts.
“He’s elite. His name is just not elite.”
Where does Jalen Brunson rank amongst point guards? pic.twitter.com/oUMuCFF9Ry
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) December 18, 2023
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Isaiah Thomas played for the Boston Celtics from 2015 to 2017. Those years are said to be the best in this NBA journeyman’s career where he was considered a crowd favorite. He was the sixth Celtic to score 2000 points in a season, led the team to the top seed in the East, and was dubbed an “elite crunch time scorer.”
Tragedy and triumph went parallel for Thomas who led the Celtics to a first-round series victory in the 2017 playoffs a day after losing his sister in a car accident. He didn’t celebrate the win and instead flew across the country to make it to her funeral before returning to the ECF semifinals.
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Thomas has not played in the NBA since the 2022 season. Last year, he expressed his desire to play for Boston again and even discussed with the team. He was left frustrated that Boston wasn’t open to having him. Is Jalen Brunson on the same trajectory as Arenas pointed out?
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Gilbert Arenas on Jalen Brunson’s humble origins
Jalen Brunson outscored Kevin Durant and led the New York Knicks to a 139-122 win over Phoenix – not something any statistician predicted. He’s been stuffing the stat sheet with double digits since he came out of Luka Doncic’s shadow.

USA Today via Reuters
Dec 15, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives on Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
He’s quite close to Isaiah Thomas, averaging 25.5 PPG so far this season. Finally, he’s looking like a lethal scoring machine as much as Doncic. As Arenas put it, Brunson is one of those who, “come into the league, they are a force, but because they don’t have that backing, that AAU name, that stardom name, they don’t get the recognition.”
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Brunson could change that perception at the rate he’s going. He at least has Gil’s respect.
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