Becky Hammon proved this week that she's not afraid to double down on a polarizing take.
In December 2023, Hammon declared on "NBA Today" that the New York Knicks were stuck in the middle of the Eastern Conference because they don’t have “a dude” to lead their roster. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins argued that Jalen Brunson could be the No. 1 option on a championship team, but the Las Vegas Aces coach disagreed with him.
“He’s too small,” Hammon said. “If your best player is small, you’re not winning. Steph Curry is the only dude.”
Well, Brunson has the Knicks four wins away from their first NBA championship since 1973. He's been truly spectacular in the playoffs, averaging 26.9 points and 6.6 assists per game.
© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Hammon was asked about her old comments about Brunson during the Aces' practice session on Tuesday. While she truly respects the Villanova product, she's not interested in offering an apology.
If anything, Hammon wants to see if Brunson can prove her wrong.
"I speak from experience. Allen Iverson got MVP, and he lost in the finals. I think the two best teams are probably in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong," Hammon said. "That’s the other thing, I think Jalen Brunson’s a hell of a player, a hell of a player. I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I said it two years ago. I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong."
Eyes on the prize.
After securing a spot in the NBA Finals on Monday night, Brunson was asked about being the face of the Knicks' re-emergence. His response was quite telling.
"It's something I haven't really put into perspective and thought about because we're still writing our story," Brunson said.
Brunson won't be fully satisfied until the job is over, and quite frankly, his toughest task is still ahead of him.
The NBA Finals will begin on June 3. Do you think Brunson will lead the Knicks to the promised land?
