Monica McNutt Responds to Becky Hammon on Jalen Brunson

Monica McNutt has a different viewpoint from Becky Hammon regarding Jalen Brunson, but she managed to ease the three-time WNBA champion’s concerns.

During her appearance on the Post’s “Shine Time” with Adam Shine, McNutt discussed Hammon’s recent comments where she reiterated that Brunson might not be the “1A guy” to elevate the franchise in late 2023.

“Honestly, Adam, historically she wasn’t wrong,” McNutt mentioned. “Isiah Thomas. Stephen Curry. The list is quite limited. But I do remember her saying, ‘Oh, you’re saying that to the wrong fan base.’ And I have great respect for Becky Hammon. She’s a Hall of Famer.”

McNutt continued, “In her latest comments, I think she’s just recognizing that it’s part of the job. That’s what she thought back then. To your point, one more round could finally prove her wrong. But that’s not the only perspective she’s expressed.”

“She might have picked the wrong fan base. You know, as a woman in sports, it’s often easy to overlook female voices. Not everyone dismisses her the way you might, Adam. I’ve made some wild predictions myself. I remember once saying the Warriors were done the year they won the championship.”

Hammon, during a media session for a game against the Aces on Tuesday, stated she was ready to “be proven wrong.”

“I speak from experience,” she noted. “Allen Iverson won MVP, but he lost in the Finals. I believe the best teams are probably in the West, but I’m ready to be proven wrong. Jalen Brunson is an incredible player. What I said reflects NBA history. I’m not sure why people are fixated on it. I made those comments two years ago.”

“I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, then he’ll prove me wrong,” she added.

In an earlier appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today” in December 2023, Hammon made her views on Brunson clear for the first time.

“They’re well-coached and play defensively, but ultimately, they lack the players,” she remarked. “We need 1A players. If we take it seriously, we still won’t have that depth.”

McNutt shared her experiences with Brunson, recalling a time during the 2023-24 season when they reviewed footage together.

“Every time I’ve covered him, I remember watching his movements and thinking, ‘What are we witnessing?’ He mentioned, ‘I’ve never been the fastest or the strongest, but I’ve always had to find a way to outsmart my opponent. I play to my strengths.’ And he has been meticulous about that. At each phase of his career, he was often doubted, but he consistently succeeded.”

“Some of us just have that instinct for winning, and Jalen Brunson is one of those players,” she concluded.

Since Hammon’s remarks, the Knicks have seen two new head coaches (Tom Thibodeau and Mike Brown), reached the Eastern Conference Finals twice, and are currently aiming for their first Finals appearance in 27 years.

None of this could have happened without the impact of their three-time All-Star.

Brunson has averaged 26.9 points and 6.6 assists per game throughout the playoffs and was awarded MVP of the conference finals.