Monday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks was far from the first time the New York Knicks battled their Eastern Conference foes this season. Not only did the Knicks host the Bucks last Saturday at the Madison Square Garden, but their Christmas Day matchup on Monday marked their fourth meeting in 2023-24.
At this point, it’s safe to say that Jalen Brunson knows their opponents well. However, it’s not just the Bucks he’s familiar with. The Knicks star actually goes way back with Milwaukee head coach Adrian Griffin.
Jalen Brunson Comments on Long-Standing Relationship with Milwaukee Bucks Coach
The fact that the Knicks battled the Bucks twice in the last three days also meant that this was an opportunity for Brunson to rekindle an old flame with Griffin. The first-year Bucks coach spent five years as an assistant to current Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau during the latter’s time in charge of the Chicago Bulls. At that time, Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, was also part of Thibodeau’s coaching staff.
Jalen recalls how he used to watch Griffin and his son, AJ Griffin, who now plies his trade with the Atlanta Hawks, practice — just like how Jalen and Rick put in their work on the court:
“Being able to see Coach Griff and his son on the other end, while I’m shooting with my dad on the other end, and then seeing where his son is, and where he’s at, it’s a pretty special feeling,” Brunson said, via Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
AJ Griffin may not have reached the same heights Jalen Brunson has so far in the latter’s career, but there’s no denying that they have a special connection. The same is the case for Jalen and the elder Griffin, who himself witnessed the rise of the Knicks guard from a young boy all the way to becoming a bona fide NBA star.
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