Jalen Brunson Skipped a Question About Becky Hammon and His Reaction Says It All

Jalen Brunson isn’t interested in talking about Becky Hammon. Not even a little bit.

The Knicks guard and reigning NBA Finals MVP was sitting for an interview with Sports Illustrated recently. He was scrolling through an iPad when Hammon’s name popped up. His response was immediate and blunt.

“You see this? I’m skipping this. Skipping her.”

That clip hit social media and the reaction was immediate. Some fans loved it. Others saw it as proof the tension between them is still very real. Either way, Brunson didn’t leave much room for interpretation.

Why the bad blood exists

This goes back to 2023. Hammon, who’s now an analyst after coaching the Las Vegas Aces to WNBA titles, said Brunson was too small to lead a team to a championship. Her exact words then were that he wasn’t a “1A” player. She compared him unfavorably to Stephen Curry as the only undersized guard who’d ever pulled it off.

Brunson, to put it mildly, proved her wrong. He led the Knicks to the NBA title this season and put up 32.6 points per game in the Finals. In the closeout Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs, he dropped 45 points on better than 50 percent shooting. That’s not a fluke. That’s a statement.

Even after that performance, Hammon didn’t back down. She said Brunson “played brilliantly” but doubled down on her original point, calling him an “outlier” who proved history wrong rather than a guy who’d changed the calculus. She made it clear she wasn’t going to apologize for having an opinion.

Brunson’s response has been consistent

This isn’t the first time Brunson has brushed off the criticism. He’s been measured in public. But this latest clip feels different. There’s no attempt at diplomacy. Just a swipe and a dismissive comment. That’s not hard to understand given what he just accomplished.

The Knicks were down 29 points in Game 4 of the Finals. Brunson scored 36 in that comeback. He’s the captain, the leader, the guy who carried the team when it mattered most. From where he’s sitting, there’s nothing left to prove to Hammon or anyone else.

Whether she ever changes her mind is her business. Brunson clearly isn’t waiting around for it.