“We are the outliers”: Detroit Pistons legend Thomas comes out in support of Becky Hammon’s 'too small' remark
Becky Hammon recently made a bold claim about undersized players in basketball. While discussing New York Knicks standout Jalen Brunson, Hammon said that when undersized players are the best players on the team, there's a slim chance the team wins a title. The comment was quick to catch the attention of fans, with many refuting the claim.
Some pointed to Allen Iverson, who led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals singlehandedly, while others referenced Steph Curry, who has won four titles. Older NBA fans were quick to point to players like Pistons legend Isiah Thomas, who succeeded despite his size.
After sparking widespread debate with her comments, Hammon posted a follow-up on social media, setting the record straight. As she explained, she's a big fan of Isiah Thomas' game; however, she stands by her statement that smaller players don't impact games like LeBron James-type players.
The situation caught the attention of Isiah Thomas himself, who posted a tweet in support of Becky Hammon. While reposting the coach's follow-up comments, he wrote:
"Facts sadly this game historically does favor the Taller, stronger athlete and when smaller sized people have success it is more impressive in my opinion. The 1A player has historically been taller players than myself or Steph we are the outliers."
Looking at the debate surrounding Becky Hammon's comments amid Isiah Thomas response
Currently, the New York Knicks sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Orlando Magic, who sit in fourth place. Despite that, the team sits in 10th place for offensive efficiency, while on the other end of the floor, the team ranks 13th for defensive efficiency.
During that time, Jalen Brunson has averaged a career-high 25.3 points per game, to go along with a career-high 1.1spg as well. Despite that, much like Becky Hammon and Isiah Thomas indicated, the stats back up her claim.
When looking at the last ten teams to win NBA titles and the Finals MVP awards that were handed out, Steph Curry is the only player under 6'6. Other players who won Finals MVP awards during that time, like Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic, are all over 6'6.
Even Leonard, who is the smallest of the group, stands at 6'7 and has the ability to match up with far bigger players in defensive matchups. As others have pointed out, even in the case of players like Kobe Bryant, the guard stands at 6'6 and is able to handle tough defensive assignments.
While Brunson has been able to help fuel the Knicks's success this year, it appears as though if the team wants to contend, they will have to take Becky Hammon's advice. With the trade deadline approaching on February 8th, it will be interesting to see if the team makes any moves between now and then.