New York Knicks coach Becky Hammon has declined to apologize for her 2023 assessment of Jalen Brunson, even after the guard led the team to the 2026 NBA championship.
The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals, with Brunson scoring 45 points to secure the franchise's first title since 1973. He was named Finals MVP for the series.
Hammon, now coach of the Las Vegas Aces, had said in December 2023 that the Knicks lacked a "1A dude" and that the 6-foot-2 Brunson was too small to carry the team. Speaking on Tuesday, she stood by the remark.
"Jalen, all he did was prove history wrong, he proves he's an outlier, so you can put his name next to Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas," Hammon said. "I'm never gonna apologize for having an opinion."
Teammate Mikal Bridges said the comments motivated Brunson. The guard himself stated he would not respond to critics, noting that proving doubters wrong requires no further comment.
