Jalen Brunson’s dad had some choice words for him during the 3-point contest during last weekend’s NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.
Brunson revealed that his dad, Rick, called the Knicks point guard a “f–king bum” while he was competing against Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young.
On the “Roommates Show” podcast, which Brunson hosts with Knicks teammate Josh Hart, he said this week that he heard someone on the bench trash talking him.
“Some bald guy behind the bench … I heard ‘Ayo, you f–cking bum!’” Brunson said. “I said, ‘Who just said that?’ My dad.”
Brunson also said his father, a Knicks assistant, made fun of him for missing shots.
“He was like, ‘Yeah, with that bonus, we could have finished my basement,’” Brunson said.
Hart, who was also Brunson’s teammate at Villanova, chose his coach’s side.
“Valid point,” Hart said jokingly. “That’s a very valid point.”
The elder Brunson played nine seasons in the NBA for eight different teams and spent three of them with the Knicks.
He played in 69 games with New York and was on the Knicks team that reached the 1999 NBA Finals.
Despite the chiding, Rick also did praise his son for making his first NBA All-Star team.
“There were times when you wanted to be like me. And now, I wish I could be like you when I was your age,” Rick said in a video shared by the Knicks on X.
“I love you! Congratulations for making your first All-Star game!”
In his first game back after the break, Brunson scored 21 points with 12 assists in the Knicks’110-96 win over the 76ers.
