SAN FRANCISCO — Jalen Brunson is “high on the list” of potential players to represent the United States at the Olympics, according to U.S. coach Steve Kerr.
“There’s a reason he’s on our list. Because he’s a great, great player and high character, a leader,” Kerr said. “He’s everything you want as a player. He’s high on our list and he’s definitely somebody we’re considering.”
Brunson is part of a 41-player pool that needs to get cut down to 12 before the Games this summer in Paris.
The Knicks leader began as a long shot but has emerged as a threat with his play this season, which included consecutive games of 40-plus points before scoring 34 in Monday’s win over Golden State.
There are obvious locks for the 12-man team, assuming health: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Kawhi Leonard.
After that, Brunson will battle with a group that includes Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Jimmy Butler, James Harden and Tyrese Haliburton.
The U.S. has captured five straight Olympic gold medals.
Brunson was the starting point guard on the USA team that finished a disappointing fourth at the FIBA World Championships last summer, falling to Germany in the semifinals and Canada in the bronze medal game.
“The experience was great, especially under Steve [Kerr], understanding his philosophy and getting to know him,” Brunson said Monday. “We built a great relationship. Got to understand how his mind works.”
Josh Hart tried to recruit Kyle Lowry to the Knicks before the point guard signed with the Sixers.
“I texted his ass,” Hart told CBS Sports. “I told him, ‘Pull up.’ Told him, ‘F–k with us.’ But obviously that didn’t happen.”
Lowry, who was a free agent last month because he was bought out by the Hornets, is from Philadelphia and wanted to go home. He also has a bigger role with the Sixers than playing behind Brunson in New York.
Lowry and Hart both attended Villanova, though nearly 10 years apart.
Around the time Lowry committed to the Sixers, the Knicks traded for Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic to boost their offense off the bench. They later signed Shake Milton from the buyout market, although the former Sixer has yet to crack Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.