Jalen Brunson may not have fired back at his critics after leading the New York Knicks to an NBA championship, but make no mistake—he heard every word. And according to teammate Mikal Bridges, one particular comment from a Hall of Fame coach turned into pure fuel for the Finals MVP.
In a candid Instagram Live session following the Knicks' title win, Bridges opened up about how Becky Hammon's 'too small' jab actually lit a fire under Brunson. "I appreciate Becky, no cap," Bridges said. "The words she said about 'can't win with JB being a 1A, 1B, he's too little,' all that did is fuel that [expletive] bro."
A Spark That Ignited a Championship Run
Back in 2023, Hammon—the legendary WNBA player and current Las Vegas Aces head coach—appeared on ESPN's "NBA Today" and didn't hold back her doubts about the Knicks' ceiling with Brunson at the helm. "They don't have a dude," she said. "You got to have a 1A dude. [Jalen Brunson's] too small. I've got a philosophy. If your best player is small, you're not winning."
Hammon even invoked the names of undersized legends like John Stockton, Allen Iverson, and Steve Nash, arguing that only Stephen Curry—the greatest shooter ever—had broken that mold. But as the Knicks marched through the playoffs and ultimately hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy, those words aged about as well as milk left in the sun.
Bridges made it clear that Brunson never needed a public rebuttal. "He ain't going to tell y'all. That [expletive] don't take that. He knows what she said, and it fueled that [expletive] to go be f—king great."
From High School to History Books
This isn't the first time Brunson has used doubt as motivation. The Villanova product has been silencing skeptics since his high school days, and now he's etched his name alongside the greatest Knicks of all time. Amar'e Stoudemire even called him the top Knick ever, a testament to the seismic impact Brunson has had on the franchise.
Bridges, ever the loyal teammate, also made sure to give Hammon her due respect. "Becky is [a] GOAT, don't disrespect Becky, bro. She said what she said. She motivated that [expletive] bro. He motivated when he wake up, it just added s—t to it."
In the end, Hammon's skepticism became just another chapter in Brunson's relentless rise. And as the Knicks celebrate their long-awaited title, one thing is certain: size critics like Magic Johnson have been shut down, and Brunson has proven that heart and skill outweigh any measurement on a roster sheet.
