Rick Brunson

Eric Daniel Brunson[1] (born June 14, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played 9 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has also worked as an assistant coach for several teams. Brunson played college basketball for the Temple Owls.

Rick Brunson
Brunson watching the 2014 IHSA tournament at the Peoria Civic Center
Personal information
Born (1972-06-14) June 14, 1972
Syracuse, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolSalem (Salem, Massachusetts)
CollegeTemple (1991–1995)
NBA draft1995 / Undrafted
Playing career1995–2006
PositionPoint guard
Number9, 11, 40, 5
Career history
As player:
1995–1996Adelaide 36ers
1996–1997Quad City Thunder
1997Connecticut Pride
1997–1998Portland Trail Blazers
1998–1999Connecticut Pride
1999–2000New York Knicks
2000Boston Celtics
2000–2001New York Knicks
2001–2002Portland Trail Blazers
2002–2003Chicago Bulls
2003Toronto Raptors
2003–2004Chicago Bulls
2004Progresso Castelmaggiore
2004–2005Los Angeles Clippers
2005–2006Seattle SuperSonics
2006Houston Rockets
As coach:
2007Denver Nuggets (assistant)
2009–2010Hartford (assistant)
2010–2012Chicago Bulls (assistant)
2012–2013Charlotte Bobcats (assistant)
2016–2018Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant)
2019–2020Camden HS
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points1,090 (3.2 ppg)
Rebounds447 (1.3 rpg)
Assists876 (2.6 apg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Professional playing career

Born in Syracuse, New York, he attended Salem High School, becoming the only McDonald's All-American from Massachusetts in 1991.[2] Brunson graduated from Temple University. Not drafted by any NBA team in 1995, he played for the Adelaide 36ers[3] in Australia in 1995-96 for whom he was their season MVP,[4] and in the CBA next season. He was signed as a free agent by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1997–98, playing again in the CBA at the start of the 1998–99 season. Brunson then signed with the New York Knicks, and was a member of the 1999 Eastern Conference championship team. In 2000–01, he started off with the Boston Celtics, but finished the season with the Knicks again. He rejoined the Trail Blazers in 2001–02. He then signed with the Chicago Bulls the next season, splitting between the Bulls and the Toronto Raptors in 2003–04, before moving on to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004–05. A breakout season in which he averaged a career-high 5.5 points per game landed him a 2005–06 contract with the Seattle SuperSonics, but only appeared in four games due to injury. On February 28, 2006, the Sonics waived Brunson. He was subsequently signed by the Houston Rockets, with whom he finished his ninth and final season as a professional basketball player.

Coaching career

From January to April 2007, Brunson worked as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets, focusing on player development. From 2007 to 2009, he was with the University of Virginia as the Cavaliers' director of basketball operations. In May 2009, Brunson was hired as assistant coach for the Hartford Hawks men's basketball team.[5] On September 9, 2010, Brunson was hired as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls.

During the 2012–13 season, Brunson served as an assistant coach to Mike Dunlap on the Charlotte Bobcats' staff.

Brunson was also an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2016 to 2018. In May 2018, Brunson resigned amidst allegations made against him regarding misconduct toward women.[6]

In 2019–20, Brunson coached at Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey.[7] He was Dajuan Wagner Jr.'s head coach that season, but Brunson resigned prior to the 2020–21 season while Camden High was ranked the #7 team in the country.[8]

Personal life
Brunson embraces son Jalen as his wife Sandra looks on after winning the 2015 IHSA Class 4A championship.

Brunson met his wife, Sandra, at Temple University where he played for the Owls men's basketball team and she played volleyball.[9] Rick went on to spend nine seasons in the NBA.[10] The couple has two children: Jalen (born 1996) and Erica (born c. 2000/01).[9][10] The family settled in Cherry Hill, New Jersey for much of his NBA career,[9] but moved seven times before settling in Lincolnshire, Illinois, in 2010 where Jalen played his high school career for Adlai E. Stevenson High School before joining Villanova.[9] Jalen was named the 2014 and 2015 Illinois Boys' Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior and senior,[11][12] was named to the 2015 McDonald's All-American Boys Game roster,[13] was named Illinois Mr. Basketball,[14] and led his team to the 2015 Illinois High School Association Class 4A championship.[15][16]

Arrest

Brunson was arrested in June 2014 and indicted on charges of attempted criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery and domestic battery following an encounter with a massage therapist at a Lifetime Fitness in Vernon Hills. Authorities say Brunson used the name of retired NBA star Patrick Ewing to book an appointment in April with the massage therapist who had previously notified Brunson that she would no longer provide him with massages. Brunson pleaded not guilty to all charges.[17] He later testified that the incident that led to the charges was a consensual act as part of an ongoing extramarital relationship. He was eventually acquitted.[18]

References
  1. "BULLS: Rick Brunson Player Profile". Archived from the original on October 5, 2002. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
  2. Bonato, Bryan (May 11, 2014). "Chris Herren, Jalen Brunson's dad reunite at Stevenson High presentation". Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  3. Sixers No. 1 for Tyndale
  4. Adelaide 36ers: Year-by-Year History
  5. ESPN - Andy Katz Blog: 10 programs primed to rise this season
  6. Krawczynski, Jon (May 8, 2018). "Assistant coach Rick Brunson resigns from Wolves amid allegations of improper conduct toward women (UPDATES)". The Atlantic. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  7. Youngmisuk, Ohm (May 15, 2020). "Too young to know the GOAT: How today's NBA players learned to love Jordan". Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  8. https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/new-jersey/rick-brunson-camden-high-school-basketball-coach-resigns-20201111.html
  9. Breen, Matt (June 21, 2014). "Temple, Villanova on Jalen Brunson's list". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philly.com. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  10. "Jalen Brunson". USA Basketball. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  11. "Stevenson High School Standout Named Gatorade Illinois Boys' Basketball Player of the Year" (PDF). Gatorade. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
  12. Narang, Bob (March 20, 2015). "Boys' basketball: After season, Morgan Park's LoVett to tackle recruitment". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  13. Borzello, Jeff (January 28, 2015). "East, West rosters unveiled". ESPN. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  14. Mayor, Rich (March 24, 2015). "Boys' basketball: Stevenson's Jalen Brunson wins Mr. Basketball of Illinois". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  15. Helfgot, Mike (March 21, 2015). "Boys' basketball: Jalen Brunson, Stevenson win first state title". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  16. Reynolds, Dave (March 22, 2015). "Stevenson all-stater Jalen Brunson does talking on court". The Journal Star. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  17. "Ex-Bull charged with attempted criminal sexual assault, battery".
  18. "Ex-Bull Brunson not guilty of sex abuse charges".
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