New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is drawing praise from Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who says he stands out as a rare exception in the NBA. Hammon acknowledges that Brunson, listed at 6-foot-2, has carved out a unique place among players and earned NBA Finals MVP after leading the Knicks to a five-game victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
However, Hammon does not reverse her broader argument about player size and championship roles. She previously made the point on ESPN in December 2023, saying Brunson wasn’t a “1A dude,” and she reiterated her general stance that small guards typically do not lead teams to NBA championships. In her latest comments, she frames Brunson as an outlier who contradicts the usual pattern, while still keeping her overall position on what it takes to win at the highest level.
The remarks center on Brunson’s performance and the question of whether smaller guards can reliably serve as primary championship leaders.
