New York Knicks fans hoping for an apology from Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon regarding the controversial comment she made about Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson a few years back will be disappointed.
Back in 2023, Hammon basically implied that Brunson was too small to be the top option on a championship team in the NBA. “If your best player is small, you’re not winning,” Hammon said at the time.
Obviously, Brunson proved Hammon, and other similar detractors, wrong by leading the Knicks to the NBA title this year.
Becky Hammon Won’t Apologize for Previous Polarizing Jalen Brunson Take
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 10: Head coach Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces reacts in the first quarter against the Phoenix Mercury during Game Four of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 10, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
But when given the opportunity, Hammon refused to apologize for her take, saying that sharing her opinions is what ESPN pays her for. She did, however, give Brunson credit for how well he played while leading the Knicks to their first title since 1973.
“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, and I thought he played brilliantly, especially down the stretch,” Hammon said. “… 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.”
Without mentioning her by name, Brunson seemingly responded to Hammon and other critics at New York’s championship parade last week.
“There’s a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say,” Brunson said. “There’s a lot of people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you really don’t have to say s**t to them. They don’t deserve it.”
Becky Hammon says Jalen Brunson is Greatest Knicks Player of All Time
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 22: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Despite her previous take, Hammon made it clear that she’s a big Brunson fan, and she went as far as declaring him as the greatest Knicks player of all time – another opinion that is sure to spark some debate.
“Let me just piss off Knicks fans again and say, I think he’s the greatest Knick ever,” Hammon said of Brunson. “Give them something else to talk about… I’ve always been a Jalen Brunson fan. I was a fan of his at Villanova, in Dallas and why this comment went off the rails, I have no idea because it was clearly a historical and analytical take.”
Becky Hammon Refuses to Apologize for Controversial Jalen Brunson Take