The former Sixer playing a key role in the NBA Finals

Adelaide 36ers fans looking for a team to support in the NBA Finals could do a lot worse than jump on the New York Knicks, thanks to an Adelaide link playing a big part in their success.

While a lot of the credit for the Knicks’ first trip to the championship round in 27 years has gone to star players Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, there is a former Adelaide 36er in the coaching group that has played his role as well.

Assistant Coach Rick Brunson was credited by Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown for keeping him calm in Thursday’s game one of the NBA Finals, as the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95.

Brunson became an assistant coach at the Knicks in 2022, around the same time his son Jalen joined the Knicks, and after stints in similar coaching roles with the Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats and Minnesota Timberwolves.

He was part of the last New York Knicks squad to reach the NBA Finals in 1999 as part of a nine-year NBA career that included stints at seven other clubs before his retirement in 2006.

But what many people may have not realised is that Brunson is a former Adelaide 36ers MVP.

After going undrafted in 1995, Rick Brunson proved his NBA mettle overseas, prior to joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 1997, with both the Adelaide 36ers and Chinese side Quad City Thunder.

Brunson was named as Adelaide’s MVP for the 1995-96 season, in which the side was knocked out of the semi-finals by eventual champions South East Melbourne.

During his time with the Sixers, Brunson played 31 games, averaging 21.6 points at 41.8 per-cent from the field.

He also had on average 4.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

After earning his NBA opportunity, Brunson embarked on a journeyman career in the competition and played for eight different teams in nine seasons – including two stints at each of Portland, New York and Chicago.

‍He will be hoping his Knicks outfit performs better than the side he was playing in back in 1999.

That season they also came up against the San Antonio Spurs, guided by the great coach Gregg Popovich, and came up short, going down four games to one.