Becky Hammon defends Jalen Brunson ‘1A’ take after Knicks title, then admits she was wrong: ‘He’s an outlier’

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks proved Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon wrong by winning the 2026 NBA championship. Although the former NBA assistant is not exactly apologizing for what she stated two and a half years ago, she did acknowledge Brunson proved her wrong.

“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 Isiah Thomas, and I thought he played brilliantly, especially down the stretch,” she stated Tuesday (via the New York Post). 

“I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize, I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion.”

Hours later, though, Hammon conceded that she got it wrong too.

“Wait, I have a comment to start. I was wrong,” she stated ahead of Tuesday’s game against the New York Liberty. “I was wrong. My opinion was wrong. Okay, let’s go.”

In December 2023, Hammon stated the Knicks were missing a “1A dude.” The team had Brunson, but Hammon, who was formerly an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, suggested in an episode of ESPN’s NBA Today that the 6-foot-2 guard was too small to take the team all the way.

Fast forward to June 2026, and Brunson scored 45 points in Game 5 against the Spurs to lead the Knicks to their first title since 1973. Hammon’s take didn’t age well, but she still doesn’t regret what she stated back then.

Hammon doubled down on that stance in May, saying she thought the “two best teams” were in the Western Conference, referencing the Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. She also called Brunson “a hell of a player” and stated she had no problem being proven wrong.

“I think the two best teams are probably in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong,” Hammon stated. “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 stated. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I stated it two years ago.”

The Knicks most certainly heard Hammon in 2023, but Mikal Bridges was actually grateful for what she stated.

“I appreciate Becky, no cap. The words she stated about can’t win with JB being 1A and he’s too little, all that did was fuel him,” Bridges stated last week. “I don’t care what he stated. I know him. He ain’t going to tell y’all. He knows what she stated and it fueled him to go be great.”

As for Knicks coach Mike Brown, he stated his team would “live and die” with Brunson, and that trust certainly paid off. Brunson had an incredible run in the series against the Spurs and was named Finals MVP. After proving his doubters wrong, he decided that addressing them was not worth his time.

“I didn’t respond to them then, I’m damn sure not going to respond to them now,” he stated shortly after winning the championship. 

During the parade last week, Brunson once again repeated that no response was the best response.

“There are a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say,”  Brunson stated. “There are people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you don’t have to say shit to them.”