Mikal Bridges shouts out Becky Hammon for fueling Jalen Brunson

Becky Hammon’s comments about Jalen Brunson from 2023 resurfaced on social media. It happened after the New York Knicks superstar led the team to the NBA championship, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games. Mikal Bridges gave the Las Vegas Aces coach a shout out on Monday.

>Hammon said Brunson was “too small” to be the “1A” player of a championship team. However, he proved all his doubters wrong by ending the Knicks’ 53-year title drought and earning Finals MVP honors.

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>Bridges held an Instagram live session and said that he appreciates Hammon. He made it clear that Brunson knows her comments and that they motivated him more to silence his critics.

>“I appreciate (Becky Hammon), no cap,” Bridges said. “The words she said about can’t win with (Jalen Brunson) being a ‘1A’, ‘1B’, ‘he too little’, all that did is fuel that n****, bro. He know what she said.”

Dec 25, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesMikal Bridges’ 2026 NBA Finals performanceBridges continued his Iron-Man streak in the NBA Finals, starting in all five games. He averaged 13.8 points on 48.0% shooting, along with 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists. While the numbers are decent, he impacted the game beyond the stat sheet.

>The 6-foot-6 swingman made timely baskets, executed hustle plays and provided lockdown defense that were key in New York’s title run. Bridges will remain a key cog for his team next season when it attempts to defend the crown. It also remains to be seen if the Knicks will make any offseason moves to further strengthen their roster.