Will we finally land on Earth when we watch the New York Knicks on parade later today?
Don’t bet on it, cause this championship still feels surreal, and it will take a minute to digest it in full.
Here’s the latest before we move on to watch things unfold at the Canyon of Heroes.
Jalen Brunson
On the season that was:
“Winning an NBA Championship with the New York Knicks is everything I ever dreamed of. The fans, the city, this organization… This is why I came to New York.
“I’m so proud of this team. No matter the situation, we never stopped believing in each other or lost sight of our goal.
“With enough work and enough belief, your dreams are possible, and you can overcome any obstacle. Whatever it is in life, believe that you belong.
“People might disagree, but let that strengthen your belief because with hard work, preparation, and the right mindset, anything is possible.
“I can’t wait to celebrate with my family, my teammates, the city of New York, and everyone who’s been here from day one. We don’t win this championship without you!
“I also look forward to continuing to support other people’s dreams through my work with the Second Round Foundation, where our mission is helping young people determine their own success no matter where they come from.
“It is important to me to support the under-resourced, under-represented, and under-estimated, and to ensure that they have the tools, guidance, and belief they need to achieve their dreams.
“Thank you, New York. I am forever grateful. And always remember… The Magic is in the Work.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On bringing the championship trophy to the Dominican Republic:
“It’s awesome that our country is being shown to the world at the highest standard, and everyone is being able to see how amazing the Dominican Republic really is.
“I’m bringing the trophy over there. We’re taking it all over. Yessir, l’m gonna bring it to Santiago, Santo Domingo, Casa de Campo, La Romana … We’re gonna have a li’l world tour with it. But it’s great that Dominicans all around the world get to celebrate this moment.”
On the Knicks’ versatility in the Finals:
“It speaks volumes about this team, how versatile and the depth of our team.”
On winning Game 5 with defense:
“It’s crazy, for all of us, me personally, you would have thought for us winning, it would have to be my offense that goes to another level. But it was the defense that got it done in Game 5 for me.”
On proving himself defensively:
“Something that’s always been talked about me and my defense, and I’m glad I got to show the world on the biggest stage that I could get it done.”
On tiring out opponents mentally:
“It’s not only, as you know, the game is already physically tiring, but if you add the mental component as well and have them thinking the whole game, it makes them even more tired and allows for more opportunities for us to get better looks.”
On the Knicks’ ball movement and revamped offense:
“I think what you can do when you do move the ball and allow the IQ to flow and the ball to flow is you allow great shots to happen, especially when you’re touching the paint or having movement on the offense and allowing the defense to make a mistake, instead of us having to make a tough shot or a great shot. I’ve always loved passing, and it’s always one of my greatest joys is getting my teammates an assist and allowing them to see them succeed.
“It’s truly, for me, better than hitting a great shot, because when you make a shot, only one person is happy, but when you get an assist, two people are happy. I think that’s a recipe for success, when everyone is really feeling good about themselves.”
James Dolan
On potentially selling the Knicks if Elon Musk comes calling:
“No, I don’t think we’re going to sell the team. We’ve been at this a long time, and I’m going to enjoy this team. (And) the stock of the team has gone up dramatically in the last year, but there’s really no reason for us to consider any of that. I think we’re just going to consider repeating.”
On his refusal to enter cross the second apron line:
“We cannot go into the second apron. We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. But that’s up to Leon. I just tell him how big a cheque I can write. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check into the second apron.”
On whether or not the Knicks will bring back all their current players:
“First of all, most of our guys are on a contract. A couple of guys are not. If we could bring back the whole team, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t think we’ll be able to.”
On the White House invitation:
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted. We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
Jose Alvarado
On a potential White House visit:
“If there’s a chance, I’m going wherever my teammate goes.”
Zohran Mamdani
On the championship parade:
“From a playoff run that left New Yorkers breathless to a tip-in that will be talked about for decades, the Knicks have earned a hero’s welcome.”
On the significance of the moment:
“We have dreamed of this moment for generations. This Thursday, our city will rise to the occasion.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
On celebrating with the Knicks:
“It was cool. The emotions were still there, everybody was still feeling it. I have a lot of guys on the Knicks, we support each other and we know each other and we show love to each other all the time. Brunson, KAT, Hart, OG was in there. It was just cool to go in and hang out with some champions and give you that feeling of you want to win that championship, too, and celebrate like the way they are.”
On talking with Jalen Brunson:
“Hearing stories about the game and how his emotions were in the game and how he was going through it day by day. It was sick. How he was feeling through it, how his emotions were going. What was his mindset? I mean, he’s the leader of a championship team, so you always want to try and take in what you can to kind of help your guys do what he did with his guys.”
On New York’s reaction to the title:
“The city’s reaction was amazing, and what’s we want to bring to the city. That’s what you want to be remembered by is winning a championship and being remembered by New York forever.”
Aaron Boone
On the Knicks’ championship run:
“It’s just been a captivating run that they’ve been on and with a group that’s now been together for a couple of years and then on top of the 53 years since a championship, it’s been a great story and a fanbase that has come to know several of these guys as they’ve kind of climbed that ladder to ultimately winning a championship. What a fun team to get behind and just the story of that team and how it’s kind of come together over the last couple of years and just a lot of grit, a lot of mental fortitude and to see the fanbase and then some galvanized around that club has been a lot of fun to witness.”
On the legacy of this Knicks team:
“So I think it’ll be one of the historic teams that we talk about when it comes to the NBA.”
On the Knicks parade:
“I know [Thursday’s] just going to be otherworldly as far as a parade goes.”
Stephon Marbury
On his advice for Knicks fans attending the parade:
“We haven’t won in 53 years. If you think you going to come to the parade and you’re going to mess it up… don’t do it.”
On Victor Wembanyama shoving Jalen Brunson:
“If he ever in his life thought that it was okay to mush somebody from New York, I’m going to be the first person standing there to let him know that it’s not going down like that. You laughed and you smiled. All New Yorkers were mad because you touched the King of the North. Until you say sorry publicly, you got to make a public apology.”
Rick Pitino
On what teams can learn from the Knicks:
“The Knicks should teach every team from high school to college how important work ethic and chemistry are. Besides having the best player in the NBA this year, they had an attitude of never relenting, and never giving up.”
On the Knicks title:
“Amazing run. Champions we can all look up to!”
Kendrick Perkins
On all-bark-not-bite Victor Wembanyama:
“Wemby was soft… let’s keep it real, he was soft and he was scared, especially in the big moments. He did a whole lot of barking in the interviews, but he did no biting whatsoever.”
On advice for Wembanyama:
“If I’m in the locker room and they bring me in, the first thing I’m going to do is actually tell him to embrace being the big man first with guard skills.”
On the Spurs’ defensive adjustments:
“After Game 1 and Game 2, they made an adjustment and started hiding Wemby so that he didn’t have to guard Karl-Anthony Towns. We’re talking about the Defensive Player of the Year… you’re [7 foot 5], you can be the most dominant player in the league by just embracing being a big man.”
Matt Barnes
On comparing Jalen Brunson to all-time great small guards but stopping short of giving him proper kudos:
“It’s tough because we’re looking at guys that have a career of work. What’s Brunson in year 6-7? Allen Iverson, I’ve heard this debate: Is he better than A.I.? Is he a better scorer than A.I.? It’s different because A.I.‘s era was a 7-footer in the paint every night. He’s not gonna be outside the paint, and you have to score over him. Plus, the two guys who are guarding you.”
Vincent Goodwill
On the current NBA landscape:
“Dynasty is better for the sport. I like to know that greatness is validated. How we do know that any of the last eight champions are actually validated because they have not done it again? Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is itching to get out [of Milwaukee,] Boston is thinking about trading Jaylen Brown, they don’t believe in their one championship. LeBron [James’] one championship in L.A. was not enough. So why would it be enough for us?”
“Now, you’re legislating parity. The owners are saying you aren’t allowed to be great for an extended period of time. (The Larry O’Brien) is a participation trophy.”
Alan Hahn
On the meaning of the NBA championship:
“The validation is the Larry O’Brien trophy that I put on that shelf, and it stays there forever. That’s the validation. The Larry O’Brien is an actual trophy.”
Brian Windhorst
On Kevin Durant inadvertently leading the Knicks to a title:
“Here’s sort of the order of things if I look from 30,000 feet and sort of sketch it. The Knicks were banking everything on getting Kevin Durant in 2019. He didn’t come, and then later basically said the Knicks were uncool.”
On James Dolan’s response to the KD debacle:
“The idea that would be said was a gut punch to Jim Dolan. So he went out and hired the combination of Leon Rose and Wes Wesley. One of them is the savvy negotiator, dealmaker, and one of them is the relationship guy with players.”
On the Knicks’ front office:
“The secret sauce was Jim Dolan, believe it or not, understanding, ‘I got to get a different type of executive because it’s not working.’ And then those executives leveraging what they knew.”
Michelle Beadle
On the Knicks fans’ criticism of Victor Wembanyama:
“One of my favorite things that’s come out of all this is the crying that has occurred because it appeared Wemby didn’t shake the hands of the Knicks afterward, and now we don’t like that. ‘It’s arrogant, he’s a bad guy,’ there’s a lot of Knicks doing that to whom I respond, go burn something else down and maybe worry about what’s classy and what’s not.”
Luis Abinader (DR President)
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ championship with the Knicks:
“I want to congratulate you for all your success, and really the Dominican Republic is very proud.”
On Jacqueline Cruz-Towns:
“Your mother has to be very proud of you in Heaven, looking at you.”
On the Dominican Republic’s pride:
“As well as all the country, all the Dominicans are very proud of you, of your success.”
