Becky Hammon Doubles Down on Calling Jalen Brunson ‘Too Small’ Despite Knicks Reaching NBA Finals

Jalen Brunson has done what generations of New York Knicks stars failed to accomplish. With the Knicks punching their ticket to the 2026 NBA Finals, Brunson has carried the franchise to its first Finals appearance since 1999 while cementing himself as the face of basketball in New York. But even with the historic run, not everyone is sold on the idea of Brunson leading a team to an NBA championship.

Despite the Knicks' successful run in the Eastern Conference, WNBA coach Becky Hammon still believes Brunson won't win an NBA title. Back in 2023, Hammon stated on ESPN's NBA Today that Brunson's lack of size won't lead to championships.

"He too small," Hammon told NBA legend Kendrick Perkins about Brunson. "If your best player is small, you're not winning. John Stockton, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, you could go down the list. Steph Curry is the only dude. He's the greatest shooter to ever walk the planet. He's in a different class."

Fast forward two years, and Hammon still feels the same way about Brunson. However, this time around, she's a bit more open to the idea of getting proved wrong. The Aces head coach didn't retract her statements from 2023 but expressed how happy she is to see him make it to the finals.

"I speak from experience. Allen Iverson got MVP, and he lost in the finals," Hammon said. "I think the two best teams are probably in the West. But I'm up for being proven wrong. And that's the other thing. I think Jalen Brunson is a hell of a player. I'm speaking historically in the NBA with what I said. I said it two years ago. I stand by it. There's no air to be cleared. I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong."

Diving into why Hammon thinks Brunson might fail is because of the historical events that transpired in the NBA. Back in 2001, Allen Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals against Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers. Despite winning Game 1 of the series, the dominance of Bryant and O'Neal overpowered the 6-foot guard, who also had no co-stars to help him.

John Stockton, standing at 6-foot-1, another of Hammon's references, also failed to win the gold. In 1997 and 1998, Stockton helped his All-Star duo, Karl Malone, lead the Utah Jazz to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances. However, Michel Jordan and the Chicago Bulls couldn't be stopped as His Airness continued his undefeated finals streak.

In the case of Steve Nash, a 6-foot-3 point guard, he was a two-time NBA MVP, but he has never made an NBA Finals appearance.

Given all these factors, it's understandable why Hammon is firm in her opinion of Brunson. The Knicks star stands at 6-foot-1, putting him in the category of NBA players who have displayed greatness but never won a title to back it up.

Another thing to point out is how demanding the finals can be. In the case of Iverson, because he was the only All-Star on his team in 2001, his puny frame compared to a 6-foot-6 Bryant and a 7-foot-1 O'Neal proved to be a huge obstacle for him to overcome. AI's shots were easily denied, especially since he was a rim attacker at the time.

Brunson plays similarly to Iverson in terms of offense. The Knicks star likes to drive into the paint, which might prove a challenge against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs.

The Thunder have Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to easily swat Brunon's shot attempts inside. Meanwhile, the Spurs have the Defensive Player of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, on their side.

After sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks will now have time to rest and recover, especially since the Thunder and Spurs are still doing battle in the Western Conference Finals. Brunson and his team will have enough time to prepare both teams, hopefully figuring out how to get past their towering foes.

Jalen Brunson Shares Thoughts on Leading Knicks to NBA Finals

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks fulfilled their promise last season. In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks got eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Brunson and company vowed to come back stronger and break past the ECF in the following season.

They did just that after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, for the first time in 27 years, the Knicks are heading to the NBA Finals for a chance to make more history and hopefully claim the gold. The last time New York won an NBA title was back in 1973.

After Game 4's conclusion on Monday, Brunson expressed what was going through his mind after winning the conference title.

"It means a lot," Brunson said in a postgame interview. "I wouldn't be here without my teammates. The belief they had in me, this coaching staff, this organization, this fanbase, I mean, without them, none of this is possible."

Brunson was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, earning the Larry Bird trophy. He averaged 25.5 points, 7.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 steals, while shooting 48,7% from the field against the Cavs.