Who Is Jalen Brunson's Dad? Meet Former NBA Player Rick Brunson

Jalen Brunson's success story is one of the truly fun stories of the NBA season. For years, people claimed Brunson's small stature would limit him and the Knicks in the playoffs, but the superstar guard has ignored the doubters and led his team to the NBA Finals.

Brunson didn't just come out of nowhere, though. His father, Rick Brunson, was also an NBA player and is currently coaching his son on the Knicks. Brunson is an assistant coach behind head coach Mike Brown. Who is Rick Brunson, and how has he impacted his son's journey throughout his NBA career?

Rick had a nine-year NBA career, highlighted by being a member of the last New York Knicks squad to reach the NBA Finals in 1999. Brunson averaged 1 point per game in 17 minutes off the bench that season. He also played for various teams such as the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Houston Rockets before retiring in 2006.

Rick is a little taller than his son at 6'4'', while Jalen is listed at 6'2''. Rick has seen the development of his son into one of the league's top scorers since signing with the Knicks before the 2022-2023 season. Jalen has averaged over 24 points per game in every season with the team and is averaging 19 points per game in his career.

Rick Brunson has been a coach since the 2007 season, when he started with the Denver Nuggets. Since then, Brunson coached with the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats, and Minnesota Timberwolves. He became a Knicks assistant the same year his son signed with the team, although that wasn't the only reason he got the job.

Brunson is a longtime friend of former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. He was on Thibodeau's coaching staff with the Bulls and the Wolves.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 3:16 PM.