Rick Brunson
A basketball lifer whose journey from undrafted guard to respected NBA assistant paved the way for his son's stardom.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: June 14·Generation X
Biography
Rick Brunson's story is one of pure basketball grit. Coming out of Temple University, where he played under the demanding John Chaney, he went undrafted in 1995. What followed was a classic journeyman's career: nine NBA seasons scattered across eight different teams, built on defensive hustle, a high basketball IQ, and a locker-room presence that kept him employed. He was the ultimate end-of-the-bench stabilizer, a player-coach before he ever wore a suit. That foreshadowed his true calling. After retiring, he seamlessly transitioned into coaching, becoming a valued assistant known for player development and defensive schemes. His greatest point of pride, however, is watching his son, Jalen Brunson, become an NBA All-Star, a testament to the foundation of work ethic and savvy he helped instill.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rick was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Rick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played nine seasons in the NBA as a guard for eight different franchises.
- Served as an assistant coach for multiple NBA teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, and New York Knicks.
- Was a key part of John Chaney's Temple Owls teams that were known for their tough, defensive style of play.
- Helped develop his son, Jalen Brunson, who became an NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist.
Did You Know?
He and his son, Jalen Brunson, are one of few father-son duos to have both won NBA championships (Rick with the 2008 Celtics, Jalen with the 2024 Knicks as a key player).
He was a standout high school quarterback in Salem, New Jersey, before focusing solely on basketball.
He played professionally in Italy for Viola Reggio Calabria during the 1999-2000 NBA lockout.
His nickname among teammates was often "Coach" due to his high understanding of the game.
“Defense is about effort, and effort is a choice you make every possession.”
