There are some basketball players who have already made a name for themselves before they made it into the national basketball federation. One of them is Jalen Brunson, who plays as a point guard for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. Before that, he had a very good college career while also playing for the American U-18 and U-19 teams. Here you can find out everything about him.
Jalen Brunson Biography
Jalen Brunson was born on August 31, 1996, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He grew up in southern New Jersey alongside his younger sister Erica Brunson before his family moved to Lincolnshire, Illinois.
ALSO READ: Is Meghan Markle Really Pregnant? Here’s Everything You Need To Know
As for his education, Brunson attended Stevenson High School, and after graduation, he moved to Villanova University. He had always loved basketball as a child, and during his high school years, he won the Illinois Gatorade Player in both 2014 and 2015 when he led the team to the Illinois Class 4A title. His last season for Stevenson ended with an average of 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
Jalen Brunson played for the United States men’s basketball team in the 2015 U19 World Championship, where he helped the team win the tournament in Greece. He was named both the MVP of the tournament and the 2015 Men’s Basketball Team of the Year in the USA.
A year earlier he won the FIBA Americas U18 Championship with the US basketball team. Also in 2014, he was named to the Nike Global Challenge USA All-Tournament Team, which had players like Jaylen Brown and Stephen Zimmerman.
Jalen Brunson College And NBA Career
Jalen was rated a five-star player by ESPN, Scout, and rivals, among others, and had many colleges wanting him as a player, including Temple, Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, and Villanova, but after reducing the list to Illinois and Villanova, he chose the latter.
Just as everyone expected, Brunson had a very successful college career, becoming NCAA champion in 2016 and 2018. He also received many individual awards and recognitions, including the Bob Cousy Award and the Big East Player of the Year 2018.
After leading Villanova to National Championship glory, he decided to compete in the 2018 NBA and was named 33rd by the Dallas Mavericks. He was awarded a four-year contract with the team, launching his NBA career. If the fact that he was able to lead the Villanova Wildcats to several NCAA titles within 3 years is anything else, then he has a great future in the NBA.
Dad And Family
One cannot say anything about Jalen’s success without including his father in the story. Rick Brunson got his son to play the sport since he was a young boy and he shaped his path.
The fact that Rick Brunson was a basketball player himself explains a lot of things. He also played in the NBA for 9 seasons for teams like Trail Blazers, Clippers, Celtics, SuperSonics, and Houston Rockets, with whom he ended his professional career in 2006.
ALSO READ: Facts You Didn’t Know About Stevie Ryan, Her Husband, Death & Cause Of Death
After ending his career as a basketball player, Rick also switched to the coaching profession. He currently works as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and has previously worked for teams such as the Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, and Denver Nuggets, with whom he started out.
Jalen inherited his athletic abilities not only from his father but also from his mother Sandra Brunson, who was also interested in sports. She played volleyball at Temple University, where she met Rick. As mentioned above, the family is now blessed with two children, Jalen and his sister Erica, who was born in 2000.
Jalen has a girlfriend, Ali Marks. The two have been together since high school.
Height And Weight
On his way to becoming the kind of player he turned out to be, Jalen Brunson had many things in his favor, including a father who would guide his path and skills in the sport. In keeping with all of this, he also has the good height and physique necessary to be a successful basketball player.
He is 1.88 m (6 feet 2 inches) tall and has a bodyweight of 86 kg (190 lb). The Point Guard has a wingspan of 6’4 and a hand length of 8.25. Other aspects of his body measurements have not been indicated.
