Coming off their first conference finals appearance in 25 years, the New York Knicks decided to make a change at head coach. As the franchise continues to search for a Tom Thibodeau replacement, one of the team's stars reacted to some recent reporting about the staff.
Throughout this whole ordeal, a major subplot has been the assistant coaching staff. Primarily Jalen Brunson's father, Rick Brunson. With someone new getting ready to come in and take the reins, there has been speculation on if he'll continue to have a job with the organization or not.
Earlier this week, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Brunson and other assistants are expected to keep their positions no matter who is hired to replace Thibodeau. When this news hit social media, Jalen Brunson sarcastically reacted to the idea of his father sticking around on the Knicks' bench.
WHAT?! https://t.co/TWzg9EiE1H
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) July 1, 2025
Long before he was a coach, Rick Brunson enjoyed a nine-year career in the NBA. He suited up for various franchises during his playing days, with the Knicks being one of his longer tenures in the league. Upon retiring he quickly transitioned into coaching, holding assistant positions for various teams. He then found himself back in New York in 2022, the same summer that Jalen departed from the Dallas Mavericks in free agency to join the Knicks.
As far as the Knicks' head coaching search goes, reports indicate that the two frontrunners are Mike Brown and James Borrego. Brown was recently let go from the Sacramento Kings last season, while Borrego is an assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans.