Years before the New York Knicks’ NBA championship run this season, there was significant skepticism surrounding three-time all-star point guard Jalen Brunson.
One of his biggest critics was Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who made multiple comments about Brunson during a guest analyst appearance on ESPN in 2023.
“(The Knicks) do not have a dude. You’ve got to have a 1A dude,” Hammon said. “(Jalen Brunson) is too small. If your best player is small, you’re not winning.”
Mikal Bridges, Brunson’s teammate at both Villanova and the Knicks, revealed during a social media livestream this week that Hammon’s comments motivated Brunson to train to become the best player in the league.
“I appreciate Becky, no cap,” Bridges said. “The words she said about ‘Can’t win with JB being a 1A, 1B. He’s too little.’ All that did is fuel that (expletive).”
Bridges even defended Hammon’ comments.
“Becky the GOAT. Don’t disrespect Becky,” he said. “She said what she said. She motivated that (expletive) bro. He motivated when he wake up, it just added (expletive) to it.”
Brunson has yet to comment about Hammon’s comments specifically. He offered a brief response during the Game 5 postgame press conference.
“I didn’t respond to them then,” he said, “and I’m damn sure not going to respond to them now.”
Prior to the Knicks’ NBA Finals appearance, Hammon had the opportunity to retract her comments but instead chose to stand by them, citing what she has seen in both her coaching and playing careers.
“I think Jalen Brunson’s a hell of a player, a hell of a player,” Hammon said. “I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that.
“I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong.”
