Derrick Rose impressed, not surprised by new Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson

The Knicks open the 2022-23 season on Wednesday night in Memphis, and it’s the first time we’ll get a look at Jalen Brunson in a game that counts with his new team.

If you’re looking for reasons to feel optimistic about the Brunson era, just listen to fellow Knicks point guard Derrick Rose.

“He’s giving us everything,” Rose said this week, citing Brunson’s approach on and off the court.

“Just seeing how much of a leader he is, his leadership skills, how vocal he is. I’m learning from him. He’s always picking people up every day. He’s very consistent with his energy. You always hear his voice. That’s what you need from your point guard,” Rose added.

Rose has a unique perspective on the newest Knick. He and Brunson first met when Rose was an NBA MVP and Brunson was a high school standout at a school just outside of Chicago.

Brunson’s dad, Rick, was an assistant with the Bulls at the time so Jalen would spend time around the team.

“Back then I was telling Rick that he had a player. Rick was trying to play dumbfounded — what do you mean? Trying not to jinx his son and jinx the situation,” Rose said with a smile.

Rick Brunson’s approach clearly worked well. Brunson went from winning Illinois Player of the Year in high school to winning two national championships at Villanova. He established himself as one of the top second-round draft picks in the NBA while in Dallas. Now he’s in New York and Rose is his backup.

Rose recalls people wondering if Brunson could succeed in the NBA, but he wasn’t one of them.

“His IQ was through the roof,” Rose said. “….He was a winner. He was winning in college and they were, ‘Oh, he’s not athletic, he’s not a freak of nature, he’s not jumping through the roof.’ Like, bro, he’s a hooper. He’ll find a way to get the job done, which he showed.”

“Even now, what I’m impressed with is how he gets to the line. The pivots that you have to use, the jump stops, the spins, just to get your shot off,” Rose added. “Whenever he gets in the paint, his float game, his shooting, every day, every game I felt like he kept getting better. Even the game we lost (against Indiana) we were still up 10. We had a chance to win that game. I’m very impressed with him.”

The Knicks obviously made a significant bet on Brunson, signing him to a four-year, $104 million deal in the offseason. He will be a key factor in whether team president Leon Rose and his group can build a sustained winner in New York.

It’s early, but everything you’ve seen from Brunson so far has been positive. The Knicks outscored opponents in the preseason by 64 points with Brunson on the court. Rose is impressed, but not surprised.

“The more he played at Nova, I was like, ‘damn, he may have a chance to get to the league,’” Rose said. “Then he ended up getting here and it was like, ‘Okay, I’m playing against him in games now.’ And I’m going at him and I’m telling him, don’t back down, don’t stop just because I’m attacking you.”

“…It wasn’t like he wasn’t (attacking) but I’m just putting it in his mind, ‘Hey, you’ve still got to go at me.’ And he did. He listened. That’s half the battle right there is listening,” Rose said. “For a young guy to still have goals, being on the bench, then getting thrust into that starting spot and holding your own. It was like, alright, you’ve got a player and not only a player, a special player.”

Is Brunson special enough to start lifting the Knicks out of a two-decade stretch of mediocrity? We won’t know the answer to that question for a few years. But if you listen to Rose, it seems like New York made a wise investment in the point guard.

“We’re very lucky to have him,” Rose said.