Rick Pitino believes the traditional point guard is obsolete, citing players like Jalen Brunson as modern examples of scoring-focused guards. Despite Brunson’s assists, Pitino calls him a “combo scoring guard,” reflecting basketball’s ongoing shift toward positionless play and offensive versatility.
Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, now leading St. John’s men’s basketball team, has a bold view on modern basketball: the point guard, as we used to know it, no longer exists.
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson
Position: PG
Age: 28
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 86 kg
Birth place: New Jersey, United States of America
“There are no point guards anymore,” Pitino told reporters during a recent media scrum. “If you find one, you're probably describing a guy who can't shoot.”
Pitino’s comments reflect the growing shift in basketball toward positionless play. His St. John’s squad, built around size, movement, and versatility, no longer relies on a traditional floor general. Instead, Pitino embraces an approach where no single player dominates the ball — a stark contrast to basketball’s past.
When asked about New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson — who shares Madison Square Garden with Pitino’s Red Storm — the veteran coach didn’t mince words: “He’s a 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.”
Brunson had a career-best season leading the Knicks to the brink of the NBA Finals, averaging 7 assists per game in the postseason. But he also emerged as the team’s leading scorer and go-to option down the stretch. While fans and analysts may still call him a point guard, Pitino believes his game proves the label no longer fits.
“Who’s the point guard for the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Thunder?” Pitino asked. “Point guard’s totally done.”
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