LAS VEGAS — Becky Hammon isn’t apologizing.Nearly three years ago, she said on ESPN that New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was “too small” to be the first option on a championship-winning team. After he proved otherwise, leading New York to its first NBA title in 53 years, Hammon still stands by the evaluation she made at that time.“All he did was prove history wrong,” Hammon said. “He proves he’s an outlier, so you can put his name next to Steph Curry and Isiah Thomas.”In 2023, Hammon was asked on “NBA Today” about the Knicks’ championship potential. In her response, she emphasized the team’s lack of star power, saying the best teams in the league have a “1A dude” and that the Knicks lacked a player of that caliber.The three-time WNBA championship-winning coach changed her tune Tuesday, saying Brunson played “brilliantly” during the 2026 postseason and calling him a “1A dude.” But she’s not saying sorry.
“Apologize?” Hammon said. “I’m never going to apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for.”
Becky Hammon believes Jalen Brunson is “too small” to be the Knicks’ 1A 👀
“If your best player is small, you’re not winning… Steph Curry is the only dude.
(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/kucR9yuDmQ
