Overview
- Becky Hammon told reporters she still stands by her December 2023 remark that teams whose best player is "small" struggle to win and said she is open to being proven wrong.
- Jalen Brunson has been the Knicks' primary driver this postseason, earning Eastern Conference finals MVP and averaging roughly 27 points and 6–7 assists per game across the playoffs as New York reached its first NBA Finals since 1999.
- Coverage and analysts attribute Brunson’s success less to his size than to deliberate roster construction, citing additions such as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby and the hiring of coach Mike Brown as key enablers.
- Reports that Brunson took a large pay cut in summer 2024 to help reshape the roster are widely cited in analysis but are described in the sources as limitedly sourced and not independently verified.
- Commentators are split: some say Hammon’s historical point has merit given the rarity of smaller primary scorers winning titles, while others view the Knicks’ supporting cast and coaching as a clear rebuttal and note gendered reactions to Hammon’s comments.