LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon twice Tuesday acknowledged what Jalen Brunson accomplished in leading the New York Knicks to the NBA championship was historic and her 鈥渙pinion was wrong,鈥� but no apology for her previous comments was forthcoming.
Hammon spoke to reporters at the Aces shootaround earlier in the day and then before Las Vegas’ home game against the New York Liberty. In the pregame news conference, Hammon opened by making a point to say she was wrong that the 6-foot-2 point guard was too small to lead the Knicks to the title.
Brunson after guiding the Knicks to a . He scored 45 points in the title-clinching game on June 13.
Hammon made her original comments on ESPN in December 2023, saying Brunson wasn’t a 鈥�1A dude.鈥�
She was asked about her remarks at Aces shootaround.
鈥淛alen, all he did was prove history wrong,” Hammon said. “He proves he鈥檚 an outlier, so you can put his name next to Steph Curry and Isiah Thomas. I thought he played brilliantly, especially down the stretch.
鈥淚 mean, he was that 1A dude. But apologize? I鈥檓 never going to apologize for having an opinion. That鈥檚 what ESPN pays me for.鈥�
This isn’t the first time in recent weeks she defended her original comments. Hammon also was asked her opinion after Brunson was named Eastern Conference final MVP when the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.
鈥淚 think Jalen Brunson鈥檚 a hell of a player, a hell of a player,鈥� . “I鈥檓 speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don鈥檛 know why everybody鈥檚 so stuck on that. I said it two years ago.
鈥淚 said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong.鈥�
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Associated Press freelance reporter W.G. Ramirez contributed to this report.
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