"He's too small": Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, Kendrick Perkins disagree on Jalen Brunson's 'tier 1A' player status

By Reign Amurao

Modified Dec 22, 2023 01:10 GMT

Becky Hammon argues that Jalen Brunson is too small

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson hasn't had the most success with the team. Although the Knicks have been a consistent team, not everyone considers them a threat or a contender for the title this year.

Brunson has led the Knicks to a 16-11 record this season. They're expected to be a playoff team but aren't title favorites. This is despite him averaging a career-high 25.3 points, four rebounds, and 5.9 assists.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is one of the people who don't believe that the New York Knicks can win with Brunson as their best player. She argued that New York needs a better star player than the 6-foot-1 guard.

"At the end of the day, they don't have a dude," Hammon said. "You gotta have a dude, you got to have a 1A dude. And they're missing that."

Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins stated that Brunson's presence on the Knicks roster could propel them into possible contention. Hammon disagreed with Perkins and brought up the fact that their best player is too short.

"He too small. If your best player is small, you're not winning. John Stockton, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, you can go down the list. Steph Curry is the only dude."

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The New York Knicks are still a tough team to beat, with Brunson as their best player. Last season was his first with New York, and that was the first time since the 2012-2013 season that the franchise reached more than 45 wins.

Even with Julius Randle, who stands at 6-foot-8, as their number 1 guy, the Knicks struggled mightily.

You might also be interested in reading this: "I took the fam to Disney" - Jalen Brunson takes shot at Lakers with cryptic IG post

Jalen Brunson gets recognition from past Knicks star

The season is still young, but Jalen Brunson has put his foot on the pedal. He's leading the Knicks each night and could achieve a historic feat at the end of the season. His averages (25.6 PPG, 5.8 APG) could propel him to join a legend in the record books.

Brunson has the potential to be the second player in franchise history to average 25+ points and 5+ assists. He could join Richie Guerin if he stays consistent.

Former Knicks forward Metta World Peace recently recognized the brilliance of Brunson on the court and shared his excitement. He posted on X about how impressed he has been with the star guard.