I’m no New York Knicks fan. Heck, I’m from New Jersey and live in Boston.
But I can appreciate the season Jalen Brunson and the Knicks just had, despite their 130-109 elimination loss to the Indiana Pacers in Sunday’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.
What’s so local about that, you might ask? Just wait.
In the summer of 2022, Brunson signed a four-year contract with New York for $104 million. Looking back, the Knicks swished a bargain, as 56 NBA players currently earn more than him.
And, trust me, there aren’t 56 players better than Brunson.
Just look at his thrilling first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Across the six games, Brunson averaged 35.5 points, including three straight games of 40 or more.
But before Brunson arrived on the big stage, he was trained by his father and current assistant coach with the Knicks, Rick, who has roots close to home.
Rick – a McDonald’s All-American back in the day – played high school basketball at Salem High before continuing his playing career at Temple University – and, eventually, in the pros.
At Salem, Rick was a part of one of the greatest basketball teams in the area with the 1990 Witches being crowned state champions after a 24-2 season.
Yes, the same team Marblehead’s varsity basketball coach, Mike Giardi, was a part of, along with Salem High basketball coach Tom Doyle.
Rick has been an assistant coach in the NBA for more than a decade. He has spent time with the Bulls, Bobcats (today’s Hornets), Timberwolves, and, now, the Knicks.
Earlier this year, a video went viral of Rick making Jalen run up and down the court, working on a specific shot.
Well, years later, Rick was back coaching Jalen, this time beneath the bright lights at Madison Square Garden. Rick has been with the Knicks since the 2022-23 season under head coach Tom Thibodeau – another friendly face.
Thibodeau has Bay State ties, perhaps most notably as an assistant coach with the 2008 Boston Celtics championship team. But going back even further, Thibs was a player at Salem State, leading his team to two Division 3 tournament appearances.
Once he graduated, he went from putting on the shorts to ironing his khaki pants and becoming the school’s assistant coach in 1981 before being promoted to head coach in 1984 at just 25 years old. He met Rick shortly after, who was playing at Salem High.
Thibodeau paid his dues and has enjoyed a lengthy NBA coaching career. Now, he has Rick as one of his right-hand guys, and is coaching Jalen to stardom.
After the Knicks signed Jalen as a free agent, many wondered if he was good enough to lead a team. Let alone, in one of the biggest markets in all of sports: New York City.
How wrong the doubters were…
Jalen has proven that the lights aren’t too bright, and he thrives in hostile environments. Just ask Sixers’ fans who watched him put up 39, 47, and 41 points in their own house.
Well, with how many Knicks fans showed up, was it really Philly’s house?
Just last week, Brunson spoke in a press conference and mentioned his father.
“I was always taught by my parents: Never be afraid to fail, whatever the situation is,” he said. “If you win, great. If you lose, learn from it.”
All I know is, despite the Knicks’ elimination, Salem just looked pretty darn good.
