Becky Hammon addressed her much-criticized take about Jalen Brunson after the New York Knicks guard defied her expectations and led the team to an NBA title.
In 2023, Hammon infamously went on ESPN and said the Knicks lacked a “1A” player, and dismissed Brunson as a potential fit for that role due to his lack of size. That obviously aged poorly, as Brunson was the key figure behind the Knicks’ title in 2026.
On Tuesday, Hammon, now the coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, finally confronted that opinion and the sharp criticism it has received since the Knicks’ win.
Hammon admitted that Brunson had “prove(d) history wrong,” and that he clearly showed he is an “outlier” in the same mold as Steph Curry. She was dismissive of those who felt she should apologize, however.
“I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize? I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for,” Hammon said.
Hammon con’t: “I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize, I'm never gonna apologize for having an opinion, that's what ESPN pays me for.”
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) June 23, 2026
Hammon was not the only one who questioned whether Brunson could be the guy on a championship team, but her saying so has received outsized attention recently. Brunson himself has alluded to those who doubted him, but he said he did not have to say anything to them and could just let his accomplishments do the talking.
Hammon obviously believed what she said. She was wrong, and has admitted as much. That should be more than enough for everyone, even if she does not go as far as one fellow critic did when it comes to offering apologies.
