Draymond Green backed up Becky Hammon’s 2023 take about the Knicks needing more than Jalen Brunson to win a championship—then urged New York to “prove me wrong” after the Knicks rolled through the playoffs to a 2026 Finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio is preparing to host the first act of the 2026 NBA Finals. with Game 1 set for Wednesday evening—and the Knicks’ road to get there still has some unfinished business. New York recently learned its Finals opponent will be the San Antonio Spurs. and the playoffs have hardly been gentle on the doubters.
The Knicks have won 11 straight postseason games, a streak that dates back to Game 4 of the first round. That momentum is what turned a past, blunt prediction into a fresh target for public debate.
Back in 2023, WNBA coach Becky Hammon said the Knicks wouldn’t be able to win a title with Jalen Brunson as their best player. Now, Hammon is getting support for that stance from a future Hall of Famer—Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green.
Green didn’t just nod. He “absolutely double[d] down,” urging people to “prove me wrong” if the Knicks can back up what their postseason run is trying to sell.
“Just like Becky Hammon said, prove me wrong. Absolutely double down. Getting out of the East has never been a sure fire thing to winning a championship. What y’all talking about?. You’re supposed to get out of the East. It’s the f****** East!” said Green, per The Draymond Green Show, via NBA Courtside on X, formerly Twitter.
Hammon’s original argument came from a specific history: in the NBA’s championship landscape, she pointed to only two smaller guards—Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry—who were clear number one options on title teams. Brunson, she contended, is a good bit smaller than either of those two players.
It’s why the timing of Green’s message lands. Knicks fans have been celebrating the team’s Finals berth—especially after New York’s sweep through the postseason momentum. But Brunson’s bigger job isn’t behind him. Even if the Knicks have forced the conversation to shift. the guard still has to take down the Spurs to fully disprove the claim that he can’t be the top option on a championship team.
There’s also a quieter complication in Green’s spotlight: while Brunson is still “clearly the head of the snake for the team. at least offensively. ” the article notes that he “probably hasn’t been the Knicks’ best player in this postseason overall.” That contrast matters. because it turns the debate from who has the ball most into who has the team at its best.
Game 1 against the Spurs is set for Wednesday night in San Antonio.
Draymond Green Becky Hammon New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs Jalen Brunson 2026 NBA Finals Game 1 playoffs Isiah Thomas Stephen Curry NBA Courtside
How is Brunson not the best player? Stats say otherwise lol
Becky Hammon said that in 2023 and now it’s 2026 and Knicks are in the Finals?? So… who was right?? Also Draymond always talking like he’s a coach.
I’m pretty sure the Knicks just got to the Finals because Brunson got hot, not cuz Draymond and Becky are arguing about “size” or whatever. But yeah prove him wrong? East is the f****** East like he isn’t always acting tough.
This whole thing confuses me like are they talking about the Spurs game or the Knicks past playoffs? Also why is Draymond throwing swears in an interview, seems like he’s just trying to stay relevant. If Knicks win Game 1 Wednesday then it’s literally proven wrong, right?