Rick Carlisle: Knicks Found 'Winner' in Jalen Brunson
Like some creators of fictional lore, Rick Carlisle's work turned on him.
Carlisle got his first taste of the culmination of his work he began with the Dallas Mavericks, watching his former point guard protege take on lead responsibilities as the star attraction of the New York Knicks. Brunson began his professional career under Carlisle's watch as a second-round pick of the Mavericks in 2018. While he was often overshadowed by the rise of Luka Doncic, he became a reliable prescience in the Dallas lineup, his Texas tenure eventually culminating in a sterling postseason performance that ended in the Western Conference Finals.
With Carlisle reuniting with Brunson on Friday, the former serving as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers in an exhibition contest, the student doomed the master when granted headliner duties: he was far from the main catalyst behind the Knicks' 131-114 victory, but he nonetheless stood as one of the victors' leading scorers at 17 points.
Carlisle, entering his second season in Indianapolis, wasn't among those surprised when the Knicks offered him $104 million to solve their long-standing point guard woes. He believes that Brunson's established role as both the Knicks' primary point guard and top option will only allow him to draw from his potential further.
"He’s a guy that understands what winning takes. It takes a certain kind of vibe, a certain level of sacrifice. An all-in level of everything. He’s going to walk the talk. He’s going to be a guy that’s doing all the things that you need to do," Carlisle said. "This situation, it’s pretty clear Jalen is the point guard, and in the NBA, the point guard, fair or not fair, becomes the leader on the floor. He won’t dodge that responsibility. He’ll eat it up.”
While never burdened with the duties Brunson now has on his shoulders, Carlisle knows what it's like to be part of a championship puzzle, serving as a reserve on the 1985-86 Boston Celtics, considered by some to be the greatest NBA team of all-time. It was part of a 188-game NBA career that included 26 games with the Knicks in 1987-88.
Now working from the ground up in Indiana, Carlisle is proud to see one of his projects rewarded for his work and development.
“Jalen Brunson’s one of my favorite guys that I ever coached in however many years of coaching. Going back to my assistant days, it’s been over 30 years, and he’s just very, very special,” Carlisle said. “He’s a winning player that would fit with any team at any level. He figures it out. He’ll be great here. He’ll be great.
“He not only has unique abilities as a player but really unique qualities as a high-character person, as a leader. He just does everything the right way.”
Brunson and Carlisle will have another chance to do battle on Wednesday night, when they meet for another exhibition in Indianapolis (7 p.m. ET, MSG).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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