The Knicks were long-suffering underdogs and captured the nation’s attention during their first championship run in more than 50 years.
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What Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Co. did this month will always have a spot in history. In many ways, they achieved the unexpected and seemingly impossible.
Yes, they snapped the New York Knicks’ 53-year NBA title drought in a magnificent way but — like Brunson standing next to Victor Wembanyama — that was overshadowed by their real feat: For the past few weeks, they’ve turned the New York Knicks into America’s team.
Their run has been a perfect storm, a face turn the world never saw coming. It was Brunson, the mighty but undersized captain, who powered the Knicks to victory. A classic underdog story. It was Karl-Anthony Towns, finally a hero after years of struggles, who let the world in on his pain but also his triumph as he dedicated his success to his late mom. It was an audience that turned on Victor Wembanyama in his first visit to a stage that was supposed to serve as his valedictory moment.
It was the Knicks fans themselves who carried main-character energy the whole month as they took over arena after arena on the road. Sure, it was also Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, Mariska Hargitay and Larry David, but it was mostly the fans in the 300s and 400s and the ones pouring into the streets who had waited so long for this very moment after decades of pain and suffering.
It seems outrageous, but it also rings true. The Knicks have captured hearts and imaginations this spring, not just in New York City, where they have a higher approval rating than a slice of Prince Street Pizza, but across the country.
Look at the numbers. This was the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998, when Michael Jordan was still roaming the hardwood. People flocked to their TVs, bars and watch parties in droves to catch the Knicks topple Goliath.
Those ratings might be expected when the finals centered on a team from the country’s largest media market and an emerging 7-4 star, but the Knicks gave the league a storyline it could sell. These Knicks, unlike any team that came before them, were likeable — lovable even.
The Knicks had never been in that position before. They were unlovable losers for decades, mired in dysfunction and disarray. With an owner who many saw as the worst in the sport. They had never been good enough to become the villains across the country, like the Lakers and Celtics had, which was a punishment of its own.
But there was nothing that could touch them this spring. James Dolan, the team’s owner, started a quixotic fight with New York City and its mayor and police commissioner, but that settled into white noise. He invited President Donald Trump to a finals game at MSG and then listened as fans vigorously booed him, as fans disassociated the owner from the team, just as they had for decades.
This season, the vibes remained immaculate. The Knicks gave fans a little of everything to grab onto.
Brunson was, of course, a Hollywood-ready Cinderella story. At 6 feet 2, he’s undersized and relies on craftiness more than awe-inspiring athleticism. It made him the perfect foil for Wembanyama. And as the series progressed, it was Brunson who got stronger and more composed as Wembanyama piled up flagrant fouls. When Brunson skated by Wembanyama late in Game 5, scoring over the Spurs giant during yet another comeback win, it felt like kismet.
Brunson offered up a story of perseverance and strength as the former second-round pick who became one of the best players in the league. He did it while playing for his dad, Rick, who raised him and helped build him into a star.
He did it alongside his longtime friends and teammates, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. The ‘Nova Knicks are the college text chain group that grew into NBA champions together.
In victory, the Knicks were inspiring. Game 4 will live as one of the greatest in NBA history. They erased a 29-point deficit in one half and sent Madison Square Garden into such a fit it left the famous arena shaking.
It was a catharsis for a fanbase that had waited so long to see a title. They piled into watch parties outside Madison Square Garden and on light poles in midtown. Some had waited more than half a century to see another championship. Some had never seen one in their lifetime. Some thought they never would. Instead, they got a team that epitomized the best of the sport on the court and gave them something to grab onto. They flung themselves into the streets with every win, and when the Knicks finally won it all, they partied across the city.
Like the Red Sox and Cubs before them, it took the right team and terms to break the funk that eclipsed the franchise for generations. These Knicks will be remembered as champions and as the rare big-market team that became easy to root for.
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Mike Vorkunov is the national basketball business reporter for The Athletic. He covers the intersection of money and basketball and covers the sport at every level. He previously spent three-plus seasons as the New York Knicks beat writer. You can follow Mike on X @MikeVorkunov.
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