Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks as close to the NBA Finals as they have been in decades. The All-Star guard had one of his best seasons as a pro, impressing Knicks fans. However, there is one person who believes that Brunson plays outside of what his position calls for; St. John's men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino. The veteran coach doesn't think Brunson is a point guard.
Pitino took St. John's from an afterthought in the Big East to a second round exit in this year's NCAA Tournament. His team feature big guards, led by Kadary Richmond. Pitino's roster and play style was built around ball and player movement, leaving no one player at the controls. He is one of many older coaches leaning into the position-less strategy teams use now.
Pitino talked to The New York Post about positions in basketball. He turned heads when he said that point guards don't exist anymore in the traditional sense.
Rick Pitino: “There are no point guards anymore…Who’s the PG of the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Thunder?…PG’s totally done…”
Q: “What’s Jalen Brunson?”
Pitino: “Combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. And thank God he is…” pic.twitter.com/gbpUb8OxJT
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) August 6, 2025
“There are no point guards anymore,” Pitino said. “Who’s the PG of the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Thunder?…Point guard's totally done…”
One reporter asked him if Brunson isn't a point guard, what he should be labeled as. Pitino's answer threw some shad at Brunson's playmaking chops.
“Combo scoring guard,” Pitino said when describing Brunson. “I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. And thank God he is…”
Brunson led New York with seven assists per game in the postseason. However, the former Villanova Wildcat has taken on a larger scoring role since he joined the Knicks. He isn't the only lead ball handler more geared towards scoring than playmaking in Pitino's eyes. However, St. John's coach feels like the old school point guards are a thing of the past.
Pitino did not call out Brunson directly. Instead, he threw a subtle jab at today's NBA and how focused its guards are on scoring rather than playmaking. His philosophy is something to watch as St. John's tries to build on last season in an evolving basketball world.
