Since the departure of Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks and their fans have been searching for their next star – a cornerstone to build on, someone who could be the undisputed leader and driving force to take the team to heights, that have not been achieved for five decades. Kristaps Porzingis showed moments of brilliance, but as a Knick he was still developing, with “potential” being the key word. RJ Barrett ushered in a new era for the franchise despite facing some growing pains. Then came Julius Randle, who became a multiple All-Star and All-NBA player but had no postseason success, to lead the team to the top spot. Each of these players who were seen as potential saviors ultimately failed in some way.

Enter Jalen Brunson. The 1.95 meter tall point guard, like everyone else before him, has his own weaknesses. But since his arrival in New York, he has only caused amazement and surprises game after game. In his first season, he proved that his free agent signing was one of the best in the organization's history. He took another leap into prominence in his second year, thrusting himself into the MVP conversation after a spectacular season capped by a historic postseason run. For the first time in a decade, the Knicks have a player with legitimate aspirations to be one of the top 10, maybe even top 5 players in the league, giving the city and the organization real hope to believe and do anything give.

With a starting lineup clearly designed to maximize Brunson's strengths and hide his weaknesses, the Knicks' newest captain is under more pressure than ever to perform and lead this team. That's no easy task considering the team's many injuries, the potentially stronger Eastern Conference, and the lack of depth and continuity on the current roster. Remarkably, we've come to a point where Brunson has to do extraordinary things and defy logic just to surprise us – and yet he keeps doing it. I don't expect anything different this season.

Statistically speaking, it's fair to wonder if Brunson's regular-season numbers could go down with the addition of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. While they make it easier for him, along with OG Anunoby – who looked good in the preseason – they could take away some shooting opportunities for Brunson. However, it is also important to note that Brunson has excelled over the last two seasons despite suboptimal spacing.

Being an undersized point guard who likes to operate in the midfield and in the post is no easy task, especially when playing significant minutes alongside Barrett and Randle, but Brunson has done it. With the starting lineup now offering more spacing than he ever saw as a Knick, it also makes sense for him to have his most efficient season as a Knick. Averaging 25+ PPG and 7+ APG seems more than adequate, and I expect him to make his second All-Star Game appearance with relative ease.

Whatever the stats, one thing is clear: As long as Brunson is healthy, he will perform and lead this team to wins. How many? That largely depends on how cities and bridges adapt to their new roles. But we and opposing fans have learned that counting Brunson out is usually a mistake. While it may be difficult for both Brunson and the team to top last season's incredible performance, perhaps we'd be better off expecting the unexpected from him.