WNBA coach Becky Hammon refuses to apologize for her 2023 assessment that Jalen Brunson was not a franchise player. She reiterated her stance in late May, and even after Brunson won the Finals MVP and led the New York Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, she remained steadfast.
Brunson scored 45 points in the decisive Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs, cementing his legacy. At the Knicks' ticker-tape parade, he addressed critics indirectly: 'When you prove them wrong, you don’t have to say anything to them.'
Hammon, speaking after an Aces shootaround, called Brunson an outlier like Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas but still refused to apologize. 'I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for,' she said. She later praised him as the greatest Knick ever, aiming to provoke fans.
Brunson, in his four seasons with New York, has averaged 26 points, 5.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds, making three All-Star teams. In the playoffs, he elevated to 29.4 points per game, ending the storied franchise's title drought.