Becky Hammon Reaffirms 2023 Brunson Critique as Knicks Reach 1st Finals in 27 Years
Updated
Updated · New York Post · May 27
Becky Hammon Reaffirms 2023 Brunson Critique as Knicks Reach 1st Finals in 27 Years
7 articles · Updated · New York Post · May 27
Becky Hammon said she still stands by her 2023 view that Jalen Brunson was not a true "1A" championship star, though she told reporters she is open to being proven wrong.
That stance has drawn fresh scrutiny because Brunson has powered New York to its first NBA Finals berth in 27 years, despite Hammon arguing historically that teams led by smaller guards rarely win titles.
Brunson, listed at 6-foot-2, has averaged 26.9 points and 6.6 assists this postseason and scored 30-plus points twice in the Knicks' four-game sweep of Cleveland, including a 38-point Game 1 comeback.
The Knicks have now made the playoffs three straight years and reached two Eastern Conference finals since Hammon's December 2023 comments, with Brunson saying the organization's belief in him has been central to the run.
Is Brunson's success a rare exception, or has he rewritten the blueprint for how to win an NBA title?
Can Jalen Brunson conquer giants like Wembanyama and disprove the NBA’s historical bias against small guards?