Rick Brunson Played With Patrick Ewing. He Still Won’t Put Jalen Ahead of Him.

The Knicks just won their first championship in 53 years. Jalen Brunson just dropped 45 in the clincher. And his own father still won’t call him the franchise’s greatest player.

That’s not spite. That’s respect for a guy Rick Brunson actually shared a locker room with.

Rick, the Knicks assistant coach and a former teammate of Patrick Ewing, doubled down this week on an argument that feels strange in the moment but makes sense the longer you sit with it. Ewing, he says, is still the Knicks GOAT. Not his son. Not after one title. Not after four seasons.

The 15-year argument

Appearing on CBS Mornings Wednesday, Rick was asked directly where Jalen ranks in Knicks history after delivering the 2026 NBA title. He didn’t hedge.

“Patrick Ewing is the greatest right now,” Rick said. “Pat was the hardest working guy we had and he was the best player. Pat did it for 15 years in New York, Jalen did it for four. Another seven years you can revisit that question, but as of today, the big fella is my favorite.”

That clip, shared by NBA Base on X, got people talking. And it should. Rick isn’t some talking head reaching for a hot take. He played alongside Ewing during the Knicks’ late-90s runs. He watched Ewing drag those teams deep into the playoffs with a broken wrist, a torn Achilles, and zero complaints. That kind of thing sticks with you.

Motivation or honesty?

It’s probably both. Rick has coached Jalen at various stops. He knows what buttons to push. Telling your son, the reigning Finals MVP, that he’s not even the best Knick ever might sound harsh. But it’s also a pretty smart way to keep a 29-year-old from getting comfortable.

The Knicks just ended five decades of misery. Jalen Brunson is a legend in New York forever. But Rick’s point is simple: Ewing did it every single night for 15 years with less help and more pressure. He was the franchise. There was no second star. No Obi Toppin. No Josh Hart. Just him and a bunch of role players fighting the Bulls and the Pacers and the Heat every spring.

Jalen’s career arc is different. He arrived from Dallas, took over, and now has a ring. But he’s got time. Seven more years, according to his dad. That’s a challenge wrapped in a compliment.

For now, the all-time debate in New York stays open. The son brought the trophy home. The father says the big man still holds the crown. And honestly, both of them have a case.