Rick Brunson was in dad mode when he had his heated courtside reaction to Jalen Brunson’s staredown with De’Aaron Fox during Game 2 of NBA Finals.
The Knicks assistant coach pointed toward Fox after the physical sequence involving the two guards. Rick was then seen screaming, “Don’t do that. You not tough, bro. You not tough.”
Officials quickly intervened as emotions flared and the situation was contained before it could escalate further.
“I’m always gonna be a father first,” Rick said on “Good Morning America” Monday during a joint interview with Jalen. “But at the end of the day, if there was any other player, I’d do the same.”
For Rick, the flashpoint was just another reminder of the emotional volatility that comes with watching his son operate under the brightest lights in basketball — something he says still feels is surreal.
“It’s crazy to me. I never envisioned, you know, to this level,” he said of Jalen’s rise.
Rick was a hard-nosed guard who had a 10-year career, including a couple of stops with the Knicks in the late ’90s early 2000s.
“I remember like it was yesterday, being here in ’99 trying to win a championship,” said Rick, whose Knicks squad reached the NBA Finals. “But now it’s more exciting for me as a father to see your son on the stage and performing.”
The Knicks’ run has also put a spotlight on the unique dynamic between father and son — one that blends coaching demands with family loyalty.
Jalen has been open about that balance, acknowledging that what looks like tension from the outside is simply competitiveness behind the scenes.
“People may think just because he pushes me a certain way that we don’t say things to each other,” he said. “But I wouldn’t trade anything for the world.”
Rick, meanwhile, says his approach is less about judging outcomes and more about keeping his son steady through the highs and lows of a NBA Finals run.
“I don’t rate Jalen on if the ball goes in or not,” he said. “It’s just taking the right shot, taking his shot. Just try to keep him confident.”
Jalen said his play so far in the series has been “subpar” by his standards. He has struggled shooting, but a fourth quarter flourish in Game 1 helped the Knicks rally. Brunson was 7-of-25 overall in Game 2 but hit a game-tying basket late and then made the first of two free throws with the game tied in the closing seconds that provided the winning margin.
The Knicks own a 2-0 series lead and will look to move closer to the franchise’s first championship since 1973 when Game 3 tips off on Monday night.
