Where Jalen Brunson's blossoming NBA career ranks among Naismith Award winners of the 21st century

Brunson is enjoying one of the best NBA careers of any Naismith Award winner so far this century

By David Cobb May 6, 2024 at 9:59 am ET• 5 min read

Naismith Award winners are recognized as the best players in college basketball, but in recent years earning the Naismith trophy has translated poorly to NBA stardom. The 2021 and 2022 winners — Oscar Tshiebwe from Kentucky and Luka Garza from Iowa — are struggling to latch on in the NBA. Obi Toppin, winner of the award in 2020, is just a role player for the Pacers.

Even 2019 winner Zion Williamson has been something of a disappointment in the NBA — relative to expectations anyway — because of a bad run with injuries and the lack of a playoff series victory by the Pelicans with Williamson on their roster. NBA inconsistency has been a theme for many Naismith Award winners in the 21st century.

Against that backdrop, the accomplishments of New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson stand out all the more.

A second round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in 2018 after winning the 2018 Naismith Award, Brunson is ascending to superstardom as the Knicks prepare to begin an Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Pacers on Monday. Aside from Williamson, the 6-foot-2 guard is the only Naismith Winner since Anthony Davis (2012) to be named an NBA All-Star.