Jalen Brunson's Father Sets The Record Straight on Greatest Knicks Debate: "No Disrespect"

Rick Brunson was just a bench player for the Knicks in 1999 when they reached the Finals and lost 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs. That's why, as an assistant coach helping the same team beat the same opponent 4-1 in the Finals 27 years later, the moment must have felt incredible. To make it even sweeter, he got to watch his son, Jalen, lift the Finals MVP trophy. So, does that officially make a Brunson the greatest Knick ever? Rick answered that question on Inside the NBA after Game 5.

"No disrespect. I love my son. Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knick that I've ever witnessed," Rick said.

His statement resulted in a momentary silence, after which host Charles Barkley admitted that it wasn't the conversation he had in mind.

However, since it was already out there, Kenny 'The Jet' Smith decided to jump on it. According to the two-time Houston Rockets champion, the idea of who the greatest Knick ever is now up for debate.

Smith pointed out that Jalen has re-ignited a Knicks franchise that had lain dormant for a very long time. Even Ewing, during his peak years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, could not help the Knicks win a championship. Before 2026, when Jalen averaged 32 ppg and helped deliver a title, New York City's last NBA championship had come 53 years earlier.

The Jet made a solid point regarding Brunson. Before he signed with the Knicks, the franchise had been stuck in a rebuilding phase for years. As soon as he arrived in 2022, they became relevant again.

He also made a significant financial sacrifice, agreeing to a contract worth about $100 million less than he could have earned, enabling the front office to build a title-winning roster.

Comparing Jalen Brunson and Patrick Ewing's Careers

The 1985 NBA Draft produced a total of 10 All-Stars, including Karl Malone and Chris Mullin, as well as plenty of notable journeymen and a few cult legends. At the top of that draft class, though, was Patrick Ewing, who was drafted first overall by the New York Knicks.

Ewing was viewed as the best prospect in his class, and he didn't disappoint. In his very first season, he earned an All-Star nod and the Rookie of the Year award.

He would go on to have a stellar career, earning 10 more All-Star appearances and 7 All-NBA selections. In 1996, while he was still playing, he was named one of the 50 greatest players of all time. He spent most of his playing career with the Knicks, except for his final two seasons, when he played for the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000-01 and the Orlando Magic in 2001-02 before retiring

In his 15 years in New York, he averaged 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. After his playing days were over, the Knicks immortalized his contributions to the franchise by retiring his number 33 jersey. However, there was one thing he failed to do, which Jalen Brunson has already accomplished: win an NBA Title.

Brunson was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 33rd pick of the 2018 draft. And at the start, he wasn't expected to become the superstar talent we see today.

However, he defied those expectations. Since joining the Knicks in 2022, he has been the very definition of a star. He has averaged 26.3 points and 6.8 assists per game while leading New York to the playoffs every season.

This year, he led the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, cementing his place among the greatest players in franchise history.

Ewing is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to wear a Knicks jersey. However, many will now argue that Brunson has surpassed him because of the role he played in delivering this year's title. Not Rick, though.