Jalen Brunson transformed from a promising young talent into one of the NBA’s brightest stars under the watchful eye of former New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. With Thibodeau’s system granting him the freedom to run the offense, Brunson earned back-to-back All-Star nods and All-NBA Second Team honors, cementing his status as the face of the franchise.
But when the Knicks parted ways with Thibodeau this offseason, Brunson admitted he was left with a heavy heart.
“It’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization, but he’s meant a lot to me,” Brunson told reporters at Knicks Media Day on Tuesday. “I’ve expressed that to him publicly and personally, but yeah, he’s meant a lot to my career up to this point.”
A Lifelong Connection
Brunson’s bond with Thibodeau extends beyond the court.
Thibodeau has known Jalen since he was a baby through a close friendship with Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, dating back to the 1990s. When Thibodeau took over the Chicago Bulls in 2010, he immediately hired Rick Brunson as an assistant, and did the same thing in Minnesota, a connection that would later reunite the family in New York.
“Being around him for a long time, knowing the trust that my dad has in him, I’ve been around his philosophies for a long time,” Brunson told ESPN in 2023. “I’ve seen it from afar — he’s going to push me no matter if I have 48 points or four.”
Thibodeau, in turn, consistently praised Brunson’s maturity and work ethic.
“There’s a lot of fake stuff in our league, let’s be honest,” he told ESPN. “People say all the right things and do none of them … Jalen’s just the opposite. Immediately, as soon as he was signed, he came into the gym and started working out. By the end of the second week, we got 10 people there. And he’s not just telling others to come in — he’s actually doing the work.”
The Highs and Lows of the 2024-25 Season
Last season, Brunson led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Despite the achievement, the team’s methodical pace struggled against the fast-breaking Indiana Pacers.
Brunson, who also won the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award for his late-game heroics, often carried the Knicks’ offense. Yet, the team’s over-reliance on him made their approach predictable and exposed limitations in the system.
“It took me a while,” Brunson admitted. “But it’s always good to have short-term memory, focus on what’s ahead, and figure out how we can be better. It’s definitely not easy to just get over things, but you learn from the past.”
A New Era Under Mike Brown
The Knicks moved on from Thibodeau.
With Mike Brown now at the helm, the Knicks hope to reimagine their offensive identity. Brown’s egalitarian approach aims to expand rotations and better leverage the team’s depth, contrasting Thibodeau’s 7-8 man system. Brunson’s ability to adapt will be a key factor in whether the Knicks can build on last season’s playoff success.
The upcoming season presents a defining question: Can Jalen Brunson flourish under Brown the way he did under Thibodeau? His performance may very well dictate how far the Knicks can go in their quest to end a more than five-decade championship drought.
Jalen Brunson Reveals Message to Thibodeau After Knicks Firing