Rick Brunson (born June 14, 1972) is a former NBA player and current assistant coach for the New York Knicks, where he notably won an NBA championship in 2026 alongside his son, star guard Jalen Brunson. Despite going undrafted in 1995, he carved out a nine-season NBA career, playing for teams like the Knicks, Clippers, and Trail Blazers, with his best season coming in 2004–05 when he averaged a career-high 5.5 points per game with Los Angeles. Before the NBA, he was a McDonald's All-American in 1991 and a standout at Temple University, later playing professionally in Australia, the CBA, and the Philippines. As a coach, he has held assistant roles with the Nuggets, Bulls, Bobcats, and Timberwolves, and also led Camden High School to national prominence. A biracial athlete raised by a single mother in Syracuse, New York, Brunson's journey from undrafted underdog to championship-winning coach is a testament to his resilience and basketball IQ.