The New York Knicks just ended a 53-year championship drought, and Jalen Brunson is fresh off a Finals MVP performance that instantly cemented his place in franchise lore. But according to one person who knows him better than anyone, the debate over the greatest Knick ever isn't over.
Appearing on Inside the NBA following New York's championship-clinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs on June 13, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson (who is Jalen’s father) was asked about his son's place in team history after one of the most memorable title runs the franchise has ever produced. Rather than crown the newly minted champion, Rick Brunson went in another direction.
"I'm gonna stop the argument too," he said. "No disrespect, I love my son. Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick I've ever witnessed."
Just hours earlier, Jalen Brunson had delivered another signature performance, scoring 45 points in New York's 94-90 Game 5 win. The victory completed a 4-1 Finals triumph and capped a postseason run built on comebacks, resilience, and late-game heroics. Brunson's performance earned him unanimous Finals MVP honors and elevated him into conversations alongside the franchise's most iconic figures.
Even fellow analyst Kenny Smith acknowledged that the discussion may no longer be so clear-cut.
"Well, I'm gonna say it," Smith responded. "It's gonna be debatable now."
The Brunsons became the first father-son duo to win an NBA championship together with the Knicks, creating a full-circle moment for a family whose connection to the franchise stretches back decades. Rick played for New York during the club's 1999 Finals run and later returned to the organization as an assistant coach shortly before Jalen signed with the team in 2022.
Their relationship has long been defined by a tough-love approach. Jalen has frequently described his father as his toughest critic growing up, while Rick has maintained that being a parent comes before being a coach, even when the two roles overlap.
That foundation helped produce one of the most remarkable championship runs in recent NBA memory. Brunson, alongside fellow former Villanova stars Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, led the so-called "Nova Knicks" to a title that transformed the franchise's modern legacy.
Still, even after delivering New York's first championship since 1973, Jalen Brunson hasn't convinced his father to move Patrick Ewing from the top spot.
