As the Knicks look to repeat for a championship, the club has a good chance at having three All-Stars during the 2026-27 season.
Jalen Brunson andKarl-Anthony Townsare the two obvious names, with both players having made the All-Star team each of the last three seasons. Looking to join them this season is OG Anunoby.
Entering his 10th NBA season, Anunoby has proven to be one of the more valuable players in the NBA, but he has very little to show for it when it comes to awards — with Anunoby having only two NBA All-Defensive team appearances for his career accomplishments.
Anunoby was phenomenal during New York’s championship run, with the 6-foot-7 forward averaging 20.1 points throughout the playoffs. In the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Anunoby rose to the occasion, becoming a franchise legend.
Anunoby’s tip-in that essentially won the Knicks Game 4 is one of the biggest plays in league history. That moment makes it easy to forget his game-saving block of Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox the play before. The two moments were a microcosm of the Knicks' "demon," as Josh Hart calls him. Anunoby can impact the game on both sides of the floor, and is one of the best defenders in the NBA — both in one-on-one situations and help scenarios.
During the Finals, Anunoby was arguably New York’s most important contributor. In five games, he was second in scoring (21.2 points) and converted 16 of 32 threes. The playoff performance highlighted Anunoby’s value to the Knicks. With that added attention, there will be more awareness of how much Anunoby contributes to New York’s success going into this season.
Non-traditional star
There are a few factors that have worked against Anunoby. He’s never been one to post eye-popping numbers. Anunoby averaged a career-high 18.0 points during the 2025-26 season, but he’s not known as a high-scoring contributor, averaging a combined 16.7 points over the last six seasons with the Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Anunoby is also not a traditional scorer since he’s not attacking off the dribble much. Of the forward’s shot attempts in the postseason, 40.9 percent came without a dribble, per NBA Stats.
Another reason is the Knicks have never had a dominant regular season. Most teams that have produced more than two All-Stars in a season in the modern era have posted dominant records.
New York has won at least 50 games all of the last three seasons, but all three campaigns were in the low-50s. Even the 53-29 mark from the championship season was low for the traditional standard of a title winner. If New York can be a top-three seed and play at a 55-plus win pace, that would help Anunoby’s case.
Luck will also be a factor, since injuries could have an impact either as a positive or a negative. Meanwhile, Anunoby’s role could level up this season after the Knicks discovered alternative styles of play in the postseason. Towns was unlocked as a playmaker, averaging 4.9 assists during the playoffs.
Anunoby’s ability to cut to the basket or spot up from the corner three makes him likely to benefit from more ball movement and have extra scoring opportunities. Also, Brunson is recovering from offseason wrist surgery. While he might not miss games, New York could manage the captain’s minutes throughout the season with an eye toward another playoff run. That might open up more shot attempts across the roster.
If the Knicks have a top record and Anunoby continues his steady production, there’s a very good chance at him earning a well-deserved spot on the All-Star team.
