Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks silenced critics, including Becky Hammon, by clinching the 2026 NBA championship. Despite the victory, Hammon, now the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, refuses to apologize for her controversial comments made in December 2023, where she stated the Knicks lacked a "1A dude."

At that time, she suggested that Brunson, standing at 6-foot-2, was too small to lead the team to success. However, Brunson responded emphatically by scoring 45 points in Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs, securing the Knicks' first title since 1973. Hammon acknowledged Brunson's achievement, labeling him an "outlier" and comparing him to legends like Steph Curry and Isiah Thomas.

Hammon stated:

"I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize, I'm never gonna apologize for having an opinion, that's what ESPN pays me for."

In a prior statement, she expressed her belief that the two best teams were in the Western Conference, referring to the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. She praised Brunson as "a hell of a player" and maintained that her earlier comments were historically based.

Mikal Bridges, a teammate, credited Hammon's remarks for motivating Brunson:

"The words she said about can't win with JB being 1A and he's too little, all that did was fuel him."

Knicks coach Mike Brown echoed this sentiment, declaring that the team would "live and die" with Brunson. After being named Finals MVP, Brunson chose to let his performance speak for itself, stating:

"I didn't respond to them then, I'm damn sure not going to respond to them now."

During the championship parade, he reiterated that no response was the best response.