Jalen Brunson says Tom Thibodeau ‘meant a lot to my career’

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Jalen Brunson admitted it was hard for him to see Tom Thibodeau, whom he’s known since childhood, depart the New York Knicks.

Brunson spoke publicly for the first time since the Knicks fired Thibodeau in June, ending his five-year coaching tenure punctuated by New York’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals since 2000.

“I think obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization,” Brunson said Tuesday at the Knicks’ season-opening media day. “But he’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him, publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career up to this point.”

Brunson’s relationship with Thibodeau goes back to childhood, as his father, Rick, has both served as an assistant coach on Thibodeau’s coaching staffs with the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Rick Brunson also played under Thibodeau when he was an assistant coach with both the Knicks and Houston Rockets.

After coming to the Knicks as a free agent three years ago, Brunson has morphed into one of the league’s best players, making back-to-back All-Star and All-NBA teams while leading New York to playoff series wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in a generation, including last year’s conference finals run.

All of that, though, wasn’t enough to save Thibodeau’s job, as he was fired shortly after the Knicks lost in six games to the Indiana Pacers on the cusp of the NBA Finals.

Brunson, 29, averaged 26.4 points per game in his three seasons under Thibodeau and was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year last season. After New York’s season-ending Game 6 loss in Indiana, he was…