Robert Griffin III Fires Shots at Becky Hammon Over Infamous “Small Guy” Remark After Knicks’ NBA Finals Win

Becky Hammon previously stated that relatively smaller point guards like Knicks' Jalen Brunson can't win a championship until he proved her wrong.

Robert Griffin III Fires Shots at Becky Hammon Over Infamous “Small Guy” Remark After Knicks’ NBA Finals Win

Becky Hammon and Jalen Brunson (Image via IMAGO)

Jalen Brunson proved Becky Hammon wrong by leading the New York Knicks to a 4-1 series win against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025-26 NBA Championship finals. Brunson also bagged the MVP crown.

On Saturday, June 13, Brunson and the Knicks defeated the Spurs 94-90 in game five. Brunson alone scored 45 points.

After the game ended, retired NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III took a dig at Hammon. Griffin tweeted:

Jalen Brunson showed Becky Hammon that small guys pack that thang too.

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What is the conflict between Jalen Brunson and Becky Hammon?

Hammon was an accomplished basketball player, becoming a WNBA All-Star six times. Few in WNBA or NBA history are more acutely aware of the challenge of being a team’s best player as a small guard. Brunson, at 6 feet 3, is among the smaller point guards in the NBA, and that’s why Hammon could relate to his struggles.

Robert Griffin III Fires Shots at Becky Hammon Over Infamous "Small Guy" Remark After Knicks' NBA Finals Win
Jalen Brunson (Image via IMAGO)

In a segment of ESPN’s NBA show, Hammon explained Brunson was “too small” to be the best player on a title-winning team. Hammon said:

At the end of the day, they don’t have a dude. You gotta have a dude, you gotta have a 1A dude, and they’re missing that at the end of the day if we’re getting down to brass tacks.

NBA legend Kendrick Perkins quickly reminded Hammon that Brunson is more than capable of winning a title regardless of his height. Hammon doubled down on her take by claiming, “No, he’s too small,” adding:

If your best player is small, you’re not winning. John Stockton, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, you can go down the list. Step Curry is the only dude.

Hammon echoed her statement about Brunson after the Knicks took down the Cleveland Cavaliers to qualify for the finals.

I speak from experience. Allen Iverson got MVP [76ers], and he lost in the Finals. I think the two best teams are probably in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong. That’s the other thing, I think [Jalen] Brunson’s a hell of a player, a hell of a player. I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I said it two years ago.

Brunson proved Hammon wrong on Saturday. The 29-year-old averaged 36.9 minutes per game and maintained a .461% field goal conversion rate.358% three-point conversion rate and averaged 28.4 points per game (19 games).

During the post-game press conference, reporters tried their best to get a response out of Brunson, but he politely declined.

The Knicks are now champions for the first time since 1973.

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