Hammon stands by Brunson take but open to be 'proven wrong'

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon didn't completely back down from her assertion a small player can't lead his team to the NBA championship now that Jalen Brunson has taken the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals.

Hammon made her initial comments on ESPN in December 2023, saying the Knicks couldn't win the championship if the 6-foot-2 Brunson was their best player.

"If your best player is small, you're not winning," Hammon said at the time.

Those comments have generated some buzz after Brunson received the Larry Bird Trophy for MVP of the Eastern Conference finals after the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. He averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists in the series.