Jalen Brunson’s Rise, OG Anunoby’s Impact, and a Championship-Or-Bust Mentality Define the 2024-25 New York Knicks Journey
The 2024-25 NBA season represents a crucial chapter in the ongoing story of the New York Knicks — a tale that has seen its share of heartbreak, rebuilds, resurgence, and now, a renewed belief in championship contention. Following a transformative offseason that saw the front office double down on star talent and team continuity, the Knicks enter this campaign with more pressure and higher expectations than they’ve faced in decades.
The heartbeat of the franchise remains Jalen Brunson, whose elevation from a sturdy second option in Dallas to a full-blown All-NBA-level point guard in New York has changed the identity of the team. Brunson’s 2023-24 season was already the stuff of legend in Knicks lore: averaging 28.7 points and 6.7 assists while leading the team to the second round of the playoffs despite a rash of injuries. What separated him from his peers wasn’t just his stats — it was his grit, his leadership, and his consistent delivery in the clutch. That momentum hasn’t faded. If anything, Brunson’s offseason training, relentless work ethic, and commitment to winning have raised the bar for everyone around him.
Meanwhile, the Knicks made arguably the biggest splash of the offseason by extending OG Anunoby and acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. The addition of Bridges to an already defensive-minded squad gives New York a perimeter wall that can compete with any team in the league. Pairing him with Anunoby, a top-tier wing stopper in his own right, and defensive ace Josh Hart, the Knicks are now armed with three switchable defenders capable of shutting down elite scorers across multiple positions.
Offensively, it’s clear this team will continue to revolve around Brunson, but now he’ll have more spacing and scoring options around him. Bridges is not just a defensive addition; he averaged over 20 points per game with Brooklyn and offers catch-and-shoot ability as well as off-ball movement that complements Brunson’s playmaking. Julius Randle, entering his fifth season with the Knicks, remains a critical puzzle piece. While polarizing, Randle’s production — when healthy — is undeniable. He provides physicality, rebounding, and a mid-post presence that still gives opposing bigs problems. But more importantly, the hope is that with less offensive burden on his shoulders, Randle can settle into a more efficient, streamlined role.
Mitchell Robinson anchors the middle with his rebounding and rim protection, while Isaiah Hartenstein’s departure was softened by the emergence of Jericho Sims and the acquisition of veteran big Precious Achiuwa. Both bring different looks to coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, and with Thibs notorious for leaning heavily on his trusted core, it’ll be interesting to see which big earns crunch-time minutes beside the starters.
The Knicks bench unit has quietly become one of the most consistent and cohesive second units in the league. Immanuel Quickley, if not moved in a deal for a bigger star, continues to thrive as a spark plug combo guard. Donte DiVincenzo, another Villanova product, made a huge impression with his shooting and high basketball IQ, and his familiarity with Brunson, Hart, and Bridges gives the team one of the league’s most organically connected locker rooms. Chemistry matters — and this Knicks squad has it in spades.
But of course, everything in New York is under the spotlight. Madison Square Garden demands success, and the patience of fans, while stronger than in years past, still comes with limits. The bar is no longer making the playoffs or winning a series. It’s about rings. And with rumors swirling around potential superstar trade targets — Joel Embiid chief among them — the Knicks’ front office is on high alert. If the 2024-25 team starts hot and proves its mettle against contenders, perhaps patience wins. If not, don’t be surprised if Leon Rose and company make the kind of franchise-defining trade they’ve been carefully positioning themselves for over the past three years.
The Eastern Conference won’t be a cakewalk, either. The Boston Celtics, coming off a dominant championship run, remain the favorites with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading a deep roster. Milwaukee, despite internal turmoil and aging stars, still has Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Philadelphia’s direction hinges entirely on Embiid’s health and happiness. Miami, Cleveland, and Indiana all loom as tough outs. In short: the road to the Finals is steep, but the Knicks believe they finally have the depth, identity, and leadership to climb it.
Thibodeau’s system will again be tested. His teams are known for elite regular-season defense and effort, but questions linger about his offensive flexibility and player management in long playoff runs. Last year’s second-round loss to the Pacers, where injuries and fatigue caught up with the team, was another lesson in balancing workload and strategy. The hope this year is that with greater wing depth and a more potent second unit, the Knicks can manage minutes better and peak at the right time.
This team is hungry. You can see it in how Brunson carries himself in practice, in Anunoby’s quiet but intense demeanor, in Hart and DiVincenzo diving for loose balls in meaningless preseason minutes. You can feel it in how the city has started to believe again. Knicks basketball has always had a uniquely emotional pull — a mix of hope and heartbreak, grit and grandeur. But this time, it’s different. The team isn’t just scrappy and overachieving anymore. They’re good. Really good. And they know it.
If everything clicks — if Randle stays healthy, if Brunson makes the MVP shortlist, if the defense holds firm and the three-point shooting improves — this team has the talent to compete with anyone. The margins are small, but that’s where championships are won. Every possession, every rotation, every timeout, every fourth-quarter decision matters.
For fans, this season offers something they haven’t had in a long time: belief with evidence. This isn’t blind loyalty or nostalgic dreaming. It’s rooted in what they’ve seen — a team that plays hard, defends harder, and finally has the shot creators and scorers to go punch-for-punch with the league’s best. The Knicks are no longer building for the future. The future is now.
The Knicks’ media presence has exploded as a result. From nationally televised games to features on top sports networks, and a growing social media army of analysts, YouTubers, and former players dissecting every possession — the Knicks are must-see TV again. Mixtapes of Brunson’s footwork, Anunoby’s blocks, and Bridges’ transition dunks are flooding platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The buzz is real. The brand is back.
And perhaps more importantly, so is the pride. For years, being a Knicks fan was a test of patience, an act of loyalty more than logic. Now, it’s a badge of honor — rooted in a team that plays the right way, wins the right way, and fights like hell every night. This group isn’t just playing for themselves or their contracts. They’re playing for the Garden. For the city. For the history.
No one knows how the 2024-25 season will end. Injuries, trades, slumps, and surprises are all part of the 82-game grind. But for the first time in a generation, the New York Knicks are entering a season not with questions about if they’ll matter — but with expectations that they will contend. Every night, every game, is another step in what could be a defining march toward a long-awaited banner.
And in New York, that’s all that matters.
