Twenty-seven years after his father, Rick Brunson, fell short of winning an NBA championship with the New York Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs, Jalen Brunson brought the city its first title since 1973.
Following an outstanding performance in Game 5 that secured victory over the Spurs, the newly crowned champion shared an emotional embrace with his father on the court, who now serves as an assistant coach on the Knicks’ bench.
Despite this historic family milestone and Jalen’s remarkable championship run, the elder Brunson remains objective about his son’s place in franchise history. Rather than getting caught up in the immediate media hype that labels his son as the ultimate savior of the Knicks, Rick has actively refuted attempts to designate Jalen as the franchise’s all-time greatest player. In a notable update shared on X by Fullcourtpass, the veteran coach took a firm stand to protect the legacy of a past icon, stating clearly that Jalen is not the greatest Knick.
“I’m gonna stop the argument too… No disrespect, I love my son… Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick I’ve ever witnessed,” Rick declared.
Rick Brunson says Jalen Brunson is NOT the greatest Knick
“I'm gonna stop the argument too… No disrespect, I love my son… Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick I've ever witnessed” pic.twitter.com/t36CkrJ2Ng
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) June 14, 2026
By prioritizing his own firsthand memories of Ewing’s legendary dominance over modern recency bias, the assistant coach established a high standard of respect for the organization’s history, while still fiercely supporting his son’s current achievements.
Regardless of these historical debates, Jalen’s championship-clinching performance cements his name among the elite in basketball history. Overcoming a daunting 16-point deficit, New York secured a gritty 94-90 victory, powered by their superstar’s 45-point masterclass. According to StatMuse, this remarkable performance made Brunson just the second player in NBA history to score 45 points in a Finals closeout game, joining the legendary Michael Jordan.
The post Why Rick Brunson refuses to call Jalen Brunson the GOAT Knick appeared first on ClutchPoints.
