Brief
NBA GMs doubt Knicks repeat championship, survey shows
Only one of 30 NBA general managers picked the Knicks to win the title, the fewest for a defending champion since 2019‑20.
By Felo News Desk · Published
According to the annual NBA GM survey published Thursday on NBA.com, just one of the league’s 30 general managers believes the New York Knicks will repeat as champions this season, the lowest support for a defending champion since Toronto in 2019‑20.
What the survey reveals
The Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers each received a single vote (3 percent) for champion, while the San Antonio Spurs earned 50 percent of the votes and the Oklahoma City Thunder 43 percent. The survey also marked the first time the Knicks were picked to win the Eastern Conference, with 60 percent of GMs selecting New York to emerge from the East, ahead of the Sixers at 23 percent.
Player and coach accolades
Jalen Brunson was voted the NBA’s best leader with 53 percent of the votes, far ahead of Stephen Curry’s 20 percent. Brunson also placed second for top clutch player and third for future best coach. Knicks head coach Mike Brown ranked third for best current coach and fourth for top motivator.
Coach Brown’s comments
Mike Brown praised Brunson, saying, “He studies the game, and that helps a lot. He walks the talk… He works extremely hard, and he strives for perfection from himself,” as reported by the New York Post.
Key facts
- Only one NBA GM voted the Knicks to win the championship (nypost.com)
- The Spurs received 50% of GM votes for champion (nypost.com)
- Jalen Brunson was voted the NBA's best leader with 53% of votes (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Knicks have plenty of repeat doubters NBA survey shows”
