INSIDE JALEN BRUNSON UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH TOM THIBODEAU

Before we discuss Jalen Brunson’s unique relationship with Tom Thibodeau (Thibs), I thought it was important to remind everyone how good Brunson has become with Thibs as his head coach.  

In Dallas, Brunson averaged just over 16 points a game in his last season with the team. Two years later, Brunson was the NBA's Player of the Month in March, averaging 28.8 points and 5.8 assists. In April, he upped that average to over 35 points a game while leading the New York Knicks to a second-place Eastern Conference seeding in the upcoming NBA Playoffs.  

I would also like to point out that after Brunson signed his $104M contract, the critics came at him and the Knicks with a barrage of criticism for the deal. In fact, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated graded Brunson’s signing as a C, while CBS Sports had it worse, giving it a D+.

Brunson played so well down the stretch of the NBA regular season that his name even started popping up in MVP discussions.

HOW IT BEGAN
His family connections were the primary draw that attracted Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks during the 2022 free agency. His father, Rick, serves as an assistant coach for the team.

Additionally, his godfather and former agent, Leon Rose, holds the position of team president. Adding to the appeal was the opportunity to play under Tom Thibodeau, the coach who had a significant impact when he was growing up. 

“It started in Chicago, in 2010, when my dad became an assistant coach for the Bulls,” Brunson revealed in The Players’ Tribune. “That’s when I first really understood the type of man and the kind of coach Thibs was. I knew, as a high schooler, that he was a coach who really wanted to win and did whatever it took to do that. And he knew none of that happened without sacrifices — from him, from the players, from everyone down the roster. That showed me the standard early on. That’s when I started to give this game everything I had”

WHAT’S THE BRUNSON SAY
“Even when you’re working as hard as you think you can, you’re going to have a little sliver of doubt,” Brunson wrote in The Players’ Tribune.

 “But it’s all about your concentration, your preparation and making sure that you’re putting yourself in a position to know that you did everything you could. That’s how you erase that sense of doubt.

Some of that came from my dad, some of that was seeing how Thibs operated in Chicago. Playing for a coach now that has seen me grow over the years has been a great and unique experience. I think that’s what’s really at the heart of it all when it comes to that relationship. We’ve both seen where we’ve come from.”

“Once I got to New York, I understood it even more,” Brunson wrote. 

“It’s been special to be able to play for my dad, and Thibs, for Leon, and this organization. It’s really a dream come true. That’s all I can say. It’s not something that you really think about on a daily basis, right? It’s not in my head when I’m out there on the court. But sometimes when I’m really sitting back and chilling on my own, the magnitude really hits me…. How much it all means, not just to be doing this, but to be doing this with family.”

THE UNDERRATED OPINION
While Thibs is often considered not the easiest coach to play for, he has proven over the years that he recognizes talent and toughness. From Jimmy Butler to Jalen Brunson, Thibs has an excellent track record of turning average players who play hard into superstars.