Former Knicks guard Iman Shumpert had an out-of-the-box idea for who should be the next head coach of the Knicks.
Shumpert was on ESPN’s “Hoop Streams” live from NBA Finals Game 1 with Vanessa Richardson and Brian Windhorst when the topic of the Knicks’ coaching search came up, and when he was asked who he would like to see take over, Shumpert shocked everyone with his pick — Jalen Brunson’s dad Rick.
“I think it’s time, they’re going to put Rick Brunson in there. I think it’s time,” Shumpert said. “Go ahead, let Rick do it. His son’s already playing point guard. Head of the snake, head of the snake. He’s an extension of the head of the snake.”
The suggestion seemed to surprise both Richardson and Windhorst before the latter jumped in to say that Brunson had not been a name that he had heard talked about getting the job.
“I have not heard that yet, I mean that’s an interesting concept,” Windhorst said. “But I will say, whoever it is has to be a guy who has the respect of the locker room immediately. Veteran team that’s designed to win now, so Rick is a guy who would have the respect of the team, but I think it’s going to be somebody who will walk in with that.”
The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday despite leading the Knicks to their best season in 25 years with a trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
Team president Leon Rose said in a statement that the Knicks “made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.”
during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 6
of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals on May 31. NBAE via Getty Images
Jalen Brunson during the game against the Indiana Pacers
during Game 6 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals on May 31. NBAE via Getty Images
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” the statement read.