OG Anunoby entered Wednesday matching or exceeding his career highs in points, rebounds and steals per game.
And if it were up to his head coach, the veteran Knicks forward would have another milestone on the horizon, too.
“OG is an All-Star, in my opinion,” Mike Brown said Tuesday after the Knicks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies at Madison Square Garden.
Now in his ninth NBA season, Anunoby has never been an All-Star. But in his first year in Brown’s fast-paced system, Anunoby has a chance to deliver his best all-around season.
Entering Wednesday’s meeting with the Orlando Magic at the Garden, the 28-year-old Anunoby was averaging 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game through 10 appearances.
His 39.2% clip from 3-point range marked the second-best rate of his career — and the number was even higher before a 1-for-10 showing in Tuesday’s 133-120 victory.
Anunoby exceeded 20 points in four of the Knicks’ first 10 games, and he recorded at least three assists in five of the last seven.
“He’s worked his tail off in the summertime, first of all, and then secondly, he’s just getting comfortable with what we’re trying to do,” Brown said. “He knows where guys should be on the floor when he drives. He’s making quick decisions with the basketball.”
Last week, Anunoby said he believed he’s developed better timing on his drives to the basket, and that it is paying dividends.
“I watched a lot of film,” Anunoby said after scoring 25 points in a 137-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I always try to improve on each and every game, and I watch a lot of basketball as well, so I’m always trying to pick up on stuff.”
The NBA is set to debut another new All-Star Game format at this year’s event at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Feb. 15, this time deploying a U.S. vs. World competition.
The format, which the league announced Tuesday night, will include two teams of U.S. players and another of international players, with each consisting of at least eight members.
Anunoby was born in London but mostly grew up in Missouri.
The Knicks had two All-Stars last season in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Of course, Anunoby’s All-Star candidacy isn’t only about offense.
Entering Wednesday, Anunoby’s 2.2 steals per game were the fourth most in the NBA, while his defensive rating of 104.6 ranked 14th among players to average at least 20 minutes per game and to make at least seven appearances.
He earned second-team All-Defensive honors in 2022-23 as a member of the Toronto Raptors, and that remains the only season in which Anunoby received votes for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
“Not only is he an All-Star, he’s an All-Defensive performer,” Brown said. “In my opinion, he should have an opportunity, amongst others in our group, to fight for Defensive Player of the Year in the league.”
