Long before he was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson was just a kid practicing on a blacktop with his father, Rick.
The elder Brunson, now an assistant for his son’s Knicks, played nine years in the NBA, and he coached his son hard as one old practice clip shows.
In the video, an off-camera Rick can be heard barking orders at Brunson, who looked to be in his young teenage years – and putting him through the paces of a shooting drill.
Brunson was tasked with dribbling from one end of the court to the other before stopping at the free-throw line for a pull-up jumper.
Rick, who played three seasons for the Knicks himself, told his son that ‘tired is for the weak’ and repeatedly told him to follow through on his shot.
‘Everything you do has to be legit,’ he said at another point while his son was huffing and puffing through the workout.
A young Jalen Brunson was put through the paces by his father, Rick, during a workout
Brunson, who just won the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award, was seen dribbling from one end of the court to the other before shooting from the free throw line
Fans appreciated the tough love that Rick showed his son in the video.
‘Pops gave him the blueprint!,’ one wrote on Instagram. Success is predictable! Beautiful parenting, coaching and teaching all wrapped in one.’
Another said, ‘It’s a blessing his pops was a ex pro. He knew what it took to make it in this game for his son.’
‘Fundamentals are timeless,’ a third added.
Rick’s coaching has certainly paid off, as his son has blossomed into one of the NBA’s best scorers and a two-time All-Star.
After serving as a second fiddle to Luka Doncic in Dallas, Brunson has taken his game to new heights since joining the Knicks ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Jalen Brunson is seen with his father, Rick, who is an assistant for the New York Knicks
New York erased a 20-point deficit against the Celtics on Monday to earn a massive win
He’s been outrageously good this postseason, averaging 31.1 points for the Knicks, and he continued that run of form on Monday against the defending-champion Celtics.
The point guard scored 29 points – including 11 in the fourth quarter – to help New York climb out of a 20-point deficit and shock Boston on their home court in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
He’ll look to keep it going for Game 2 on Wednesday – before the series heads to New York for Games 3 and 4.
