‘I said what I said’: Becky Hammon stands by Brunson take, open to being proven wrong

Las Vegas Aces manager Becky Hammon didn’t wholly backmost down from her assertion a tiny subordinate can’t pb his squad to the NBA title present that Jalen Brunson has taken the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals.

Hammon made her archetypal comments connected ESPN successful December 2023, saying the Knicks couldn’t triumph the title if the 6-foot-2 Brunson was their champion player.

“If your champion subordinate is small, you’re not winning,” Hammon said astatine the time.

Those comments person generated immoderate buzz aft Brunson received the Larry Bird Trophy for MVP of the Eastern Conference finals aft the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Monday night. He averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists successful the series.

The Knicks volition look defending champion Oklahoma City oregon San Antonio successful the finals.

“I talk from experience,” Hammon said Tuesday. “Allen Iverson got MVP and helium mislaid successful the finals. I deliberation the 2 champion teams are astir apt successful the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong. That’s the different thing, I deliberation Jalen Brunson’s a hellhole of a player, a hellhole of a player. I’m speaking historically connected the NBA with what I said. I don’t cognize wherefore everybody’s truthful stuck connected that. I said it 2 years ago.

“I said what I said. If helium proves maine wrong, helium proves maine wrong.”

Hammon, who has coached the Aces to 3 of the past 4 WNBA championships, has a wide rooting funny successful the NBA playoffs.

The Hall of Famer played for the San Antonio Silver Stars — who yet moved to Las Vegas and became the Aces — and aboriginal was a Spurs adjunct nether manager Gregg Popovich.

“Oh, you cognize who I’m cheering for,” Hammon said.