The move to the New York Knicks transformed Jalen Brunson’s career trajectory.
Jalen Brunson evolved from a secondary player behind Luka Doncic in Dallas to the Knicks’ primary star, elevating his production to 20+ points per game while earning All-Star and All-NBA recognition.
However, former player John Wall believes Brunson’s success stems more from Tom Thibodeau’s system than individual brilliance.
Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesJohn Wall credits Tom Thibodeau’s point guard development history for Brunson’s breakout
Wall’s concerns center on how coaching changes might affect Brunson’s continued development.
Thibodeau’s belief in Brunson as the Knicks’ leader proved crucial to his transformation.
The coach’s history of developing star point guards, particularly Derrick Rose during his Chicago Bulls tenure, provided the blueprint for Brunson’s success.
“Jalen Brunson the last two years [he’s] been amazing right, but like I was saying with D-Rose, he’s a point guard, that’s Thib’s show,” Wall explained.
Thibodeau’s system maximized Brunson’s strengths while providing the heavy minutes and responsibilities needed for star-level production.
The coach’s faith in his point guard created the environment for Brunson’s statistical explosion.
John Wall questions whether Mike Brown will maintain Jalen Brunson-centric approach
Wall expressed concerns about Brunson’s future under new head coach Mike Brown, known primarily as a defensive-minded coach who might alter the offensive approach that made Brunson successful.
“Is Mike Brown going to play the same way? Is he going to change the offense up? Is he going to get everybody else involved? Is Jalen Brunson going to be OK with that?” Wall questioned.
“If I’m getting 25 shots a game, now you want to cut my shots to 12 to 15, I got to be even more efficient,” Wall added.
Washington Wizards legend also suspects there’s an untold story behind Thibodeau’s surprising dismissal after leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
“It’s probably something the players wanted, or something the front office wanted. That’s what it boils down to. They not going to say it to the camera, they let the GM do it.”
Despite the coaching change, the Knicks still need Brunson to remain their cornerstone player, though he may need to adapt to a different system while maintaining his elevated production levels.