New York Knicks.
2026 NBA Champions.
Mic drop.
Mike Brown
On Jalen Brunson being a true No. 1 star:
“I hope you guys will listen to me, he is a top-three MVP candidate. Everybody kind of mentions his name in passing, they don’t do it seriously enough — people say he’s too small, people say he’s a 1B or a 2B or whatever, he is a freaking 1A. I hope tonight you guys, and I’m talking to the media more than the fans,
but I hope you guys recognize what this man is all about because he is A1 MVP — he is him.”
On Jalen Brunson being the face of New York basketball:
“He comes, and he probably takes a pay cut that I wouldn’t have taken, every time they would have thrown that number in front of me would have said no, and I feel like I’m a good guy.”
On the significance of the Knicks franchise:
“There are a couple of franchises that are pretty iconic just because of the history that they have, the location that they’re in, sometimes even the building that they’re in. New York is definitely one of the few that you could say that to in all three facets. Everybody goes through their ups and downs. I don’t really think much about the tough times [the Knicks] had because everybody has tough times, including individuals. You just want to try the best you can to be a part of whatever you can to bring joy to the city, to the organization. I feel blessed, fortunate, lucky, to be a part of what is going on now.”
On bringing a title to New York:
“It’s just a heck of a win. To have these fans that we have in New York City, and to bring home a championship to them after all of these years, it’s just an absolutely amazing. It’s surreal – I don’t know how long it’s been since that final buzzer, but I still don’t believe it. I’m pinching myself, I’m telling myself to try to be present, and all of the stuff I tell my guys every day because I still just can’t believe it.”
On his staff, players, and the Knicks organization:
“My staff, they carried me all year. Our players are fantastic – they’ve been ready from Day 1, and it’s not just our top-five, but 1 through 18 they have been ready from Day 1 of the season. You saw it we called on different guys at different times and every time they stepped up – I love my players, I love the organization, but most importantly Let’s Go New York, we can’t wait to get home and celebrate.”
Jalen Brunson
On winning a championship:
“It’s everything I dreamed of. It’s why I came to New York.”
On the Knicks’ late-game identity:
“For some reason I feel like the game for us starts for us 30 minutes later than it’s supposed to. We don’t show up at 8:30. We show up at 9 p.m.”
On winning the title:
“It’s everything I dreamed of. This is why I picked New York.”
On his emotions after the championship:
“Holy s—. I’ve got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m in awe, I don’t know. Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.”
On where his confidence comes from:
“My confidence comes from my work ethic. Every time I had the ball, all I could think about was all the hours I put in the summer… into making this a reality. So whenever I got the ball, I just thought about me being alone in the gym.”
On finding a way to win:
“We’re going to find a way, whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way. I don’t know what I’m feeling.”
On becoming a champion:
“I got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of. I don’t know what I’m feeling.”
On winning Finals MVP:
“It was definitely more emotional than I thought it would be. Once I got on stage and everything, it started to settle, but it’s everything I dreamed of, seriously. I woke up this morning not wanting to play another game. At some point, I knew I was going to win [an NBA Championship]. The opportunity presented itself, and I didn’t want it to slip away.”
On the journey to a championship:
“Words can’t describe it. I put a lot of time and effort into being the best player I can be, and I’m just really thankful to have a coaching staff and teammates who have my back every day. At the final buzzer, I walked right to half court, shook Mitch Johnson’s hand, and turned around. My dad was there, and I felt emotions from that point on. But it still hasn’t sunk in. I honestly don’t know right now. I’m just thankful for the opportunity, and we were able to get it done. Through hard work and effort, I knew this was achievable, but it was only a small portion of it. Tonight, we played like we wanted to finish the game as champions. It means the world to me to go on the court with those guys.”
On his reaction to the championship:
“I got no words. It’s everything I’ve dreamt of. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m just like… I’m in awe. I don’t know. Whenever someone counts us out, we find a way to come back and do something about it.”
On his preparation and work ethic:
“My confidence comes from my work ethic. Every time I got the ball, all I could think about is all the hours in the summer. For every summer I had, since I ever could remember, making this a reality. Whenever I had the ball, I’m just thinking about just me alone in the gym.”
On the Knicks’ resilience:
“We’re going to find a way. Whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way. It doesn’t matter. It does not matter whatsoever. We’re going to find a way every single time we step on this court. Every f–king time. Every time.”
On the “1A” haters:
“I didn’t respond to them then and I’m damn sure not going to respond to them now.”
On winning all of his NBA and college titles in Texas:
“I have nothing against Texas. I love Texas. I miss the Texas taxes.”
On his mentality:
“I’m just never afraid to fail.”
On what it took to win the championship and score 45 points:
“Everything.”
On finishing the job in Game 5:
“Tonight, we played like we wanted to go home champions, to finish the game. Not to start the game, to finish the game.”
On winning a championship:
“Words can’t describe it. I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win. Just really thankful to have the organization, the coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day.”
On playing through injury after yet another dirty Victor Wembanyama play:
“I’m hurting right now, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m hurting right now, but like i said before, the opportunity presented itself. Whatever you gotta do.”
Mikal Bridges
On when he knew Jalen Brunson would become a star:
“I knew through college, but I really knew when he signed (with the Knicks). I knew what he was going to do, especially in the league we play in. Him having the ball and being able to be ball dominant … his efficiency is out of the roof. I knew what he was going to be able to do with the ball in his hands here, more than what he was able to do in Dallas.”
On the five-pick trade and the haters:
“You talking about f–-k them picks. Very grateful. F–-k ’em. Through the times I’ve been struggling, fans said things about me, I want to always be better. Keep pushing me. I appreciate the tough love.”
On Knicks fans pushing him to improve:
“Given all of the times I’ve been struggling and our fans are on me, I want to always be better – so however they feel I always want to be better. I just hope that I’m still here and they just keep that edge and keep pushing me. If they strongly believe we have a chance every year and they strong believe they need me to be better I’m already thinking that – I appreciate the tough love, I know some fans might be crazier than others, but the ones that truly care, they just want me to be better so don’t stop now.”
Josh Hart
On the pressure of wearing a Knicks jersey:
“We don’t really talk about it, but the weight of that jersey. The expectations, the pressure of that jersey. Right now, it’s the lightest it’s ever felt.”
On Mike Brown’s impact on the Knicks:
“Mike was invaluable to this run. He knows what it is to be a champion. He knows how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. We’re so grateful to have him at the top. He kept us even at so many times. He brought the best out of us. He’s the reason why we’re here.”
On the Knicks’ togetherness:
“Oh, man, it’s been invaluable. I think you can look at the play (in Game 4), I missed the layup . . . I miss, and we come down and foul Wemby. I think I fouled him or KAT fouled him or whatever [Anunoby fouled him], and I ended up on the ground. I was frustrated and kind of down on myself. You see JB, KAT, Jose run up to me and pick me up. You see Landry [Shamet] on the bench yelling at me to get up and those kinds of things.
“When you have a team that has that kind of togetherness in the most adverse situations, that breeds championship habits and a championship team. I feel like we can go down the line of every guy in that locker room that has had moments like that during the season, and everyone has been there to pick each other up. When you have a team that can do that, no matter what happens in a game, you feel like you can get through it.”
On staying even through highs and lows:
“In an 82-game season, especially in New York, you know, there’s going to be mountains and valleys. If we win three or four in a row, you know, you’re the best team in the league. If you lose three or four in a row, everybody is on the trade block. We know that and that’s why during the course of a season, you try to stay even and you try to continue to build those habits, championship habits, that put you in that position at the end of the year.
“And that’s what you focus on. Sometimes it’s not about the result; it’s about the process. You know, every game, every second, every practice of the season, it led us to this point.”
On finally finding a home in New York:
“I had so much instability, traded, different coaches, and I found a home in New York and they embraced me. This city is built on toughness, grit, blue-collar people, and I feel like I’m the same person. They can look in the mirror and they can see [me].”
On the Nova Knicks:
“Those are my brothers for life. We have a bond that’ll never be broken. We won a championship together in college, but this one obviously takes the cake. We’ve been built for this moment. We’ve all been forged in the fire … Coach [Jay] Wright helped us be cut from a different cloth. No matter the moment, it’s never too big for us.”
OG Anunoby
On winning the championship:
“We did it.”
On Jalen Brunson:
“He’s an amazing player and he showed the world tonight.”
On the Knicks’ celebration:
“Just excitement, everyone just happy for each other.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On Jalen Brunson:
“Shout-out to everybody who told him he couldn’t do it because it gave him fuel for the fire. I think I speak for me and OG when I say it’s been an honor to be brought to this team to amplify him.”
On his father:
“He’s been everything to me. He taught me the game of basketball.”
On bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the Dominican Republic:
“Hell yeah, I’m bringing the trophy over there!”
On Jalen Brunson leaving Gatorade at the podium:
“You know JB’s happy, he left the Gatorade up here!”
On the Knicks’ unity:
“I talk about our unity, our connectivity. We just continue to believe in each other and believe in our team, our game plan. Whatever needs to be adjusted in the game, us as players will always talk it out, and we’re willing to have those conversations that are difficult. We’re willing to keep each other accountable.
“Regardless of what happens, we know, like I said, we all we got and we all we need, and it’s more than enough to have a chance to win every single night. I know a lot of people talk about it. I know you’ve heard a ton of people come up on this mic and say the same thing, but I hope our team shows the world that we truly mean it. Even though last year we didn’t get the job done, that unity and that connectivity and that continuity has always shown itself.
“I think that last game is just another example of us talking about how connected we are together and how much we truly do have love for each other as teammates, as a team, as brothers, as a family. Only brothers would keep each other going, especially in the game where it was last game. Because of that family, family stays close. When things got really bad, we got closer. We didn’t start fading away from each other.”
On feeling the presence of his late mother and the support of Jordyn Woods:
“Her presence is always felt in my life. You always pray you’re going to pick the right woman for you and I know I did in my fiancé. I damn sure know now with that bag, that bag held it down. Shout-out to Woods by Jordyn.
It’s crazy, when she passed, there was so much turmoil in my life. Funny enough, my fiancé was the one, who was a friend at the time, was the only person I got to call before I had to go out there and say bye to her at the hospital. Me and her have a real bond that goes deeper than just physical features and everything like that. We’ve got a true friendship that was built from the ground up.
I remember just always asking her if this was going to be my last time seeing her in the physical, let me feel her spirit at all times. In moments of true pressure and a lot of things going on, I always feel this calming come to me and it’s always her. It’s just great to always feel her arms around me and always to feel her love in my life, in so many different ways.
It’s a testament. I haven’t felt love from a woman like that until I met my fiancé. It really means a lot that, in a way – without sounding weird – Jackie Jr. was able to be here celebrating this moment with me.
It’s amazing. It’s truly a humbling feeling when you know you have walked the path. I stayed faithful. In every decision that I was supposed to make, I made the right one. Feels good to be at this moment.
“Y’all heard my story, y’all know my story. I just want to say: Thank you Mama, I appreciate you getting me one.”
On finally winning a championship:
“You work your whole life for this moment. As they always said with this team, it is written for New York.”
Mitchell Robinson
On bringing the monster truck to the championship parade:
“I just got asked to put my truck in it so I’m gonna be really excited.”
On Jalen Brunson’s Game 5 performance:
“It was unreal.”
On snakes being the Knicks’ lucky charm:
“You know what’s crazy? Yesterday at the hotel I caught a snake. I think it’s something about snakes.”
On finally winning a title with the Knicks:
“I’ve seen the recipe being made. I’ve been here when we’ve won 17 games, when we’ve won 60 games, and to finally be able to get it done in 2026, it’s been amazing.”
On his offensive rebounding and his late effort:
“That’s just something I always do. I trust my guys that they are going to make them, but I’m just going crash anyway – luckily I did and came up with a big rebound.
“Grabbed it, kicked it out and they fouled us again, so we got a chance to shoot two more and I almost got it again, so I’m just going to continue to do that.”
Landry Shamet
On Jalen Brunson carrying the team:
“We owe him. We weren’t great offensively tonight, but he is generationally great offensively.”
On winning a championship:
“Just really proud of this group and excited to celebrate and kick our feet up for a little while and enjoy this. This is special.”
Jose Alvarado
On winning the title with the Knicks:
“This is something we’re going to celebrate for life.”
James Dolan
On the Knicks ending the drought and hunting for more:
“Hey, New York! I’m sorry it took so long, but here we are, and hopefully it won’t take that long again.”
Walt Frazier
On his expectations for Jalen Brunson:
“I thought when we acquired him if he averaged 20 points and six assists it would be good. I thought like other people, in a playoff scenario where you get guys 6-[foot]-6 and 6-7 on him, he would have trouble scoring. But he found a way, against all these guys.”
On Brunson’s place in Knicks history:
“He’s got to be considered one of the greatest Knicks ever. He’s been magnificent the whole playoffs and all season. … Clutch, he’s Mr. Clutch. He comes up with the big baskets. He was the only guy scoring at one time for the Knicks. That kept them in the game.”
On Brunson changing perceptions of small guards:
“Brunson has definitely changed the mindset of that thinking, a guy 6-foot-2 can’t lead a team to a championship.”
On watching the championship run:
“I was living through the eyes of Jalen, saying ‘Wow, I used to be doing that out there on the court.’ I’m sure those guys [from our last championship team] are watching tonight, and they’re very proud of the team like I am.”
On what the title means for the New York Knicks:
“It’s a magnificent night for the fan base and the franchise.”
Patrick Ewing
On finally seeing the Knicks win a title:
“Fourth time is the charm. ’99, I did the same thing I did tonight, just sit and watch and cheer. I take my hat (off) to the team, take my hat off to Jalen. He did an outstanding job with putting us on his back and being able to bring a championship back to New York.”
On what the championship means for New York and the Knicks:
“It means everything to the city. It was a magical run, all the things they were able to accomplish.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns:
“This guy right here, this is my guy, right here.”
Charles Barkley
On Jalen Brunson’s contract sacrifice:
“I want to give him some credit. I want to give, you know, obviously what you said about Brunson, I said, it’s the greatest free agent signing in NBA history, but also he took so much criticism for guys when he took a hundred million dollars less so they could go out and get other players. He deserved like, hey, listen, a hundred million dollars is a lot of money, but he wanted them to go out and get him some help, and they went on and got him some help, and they are the World Champs.”
Mike Breen
On the Knicks’ title-winning moment:
“It’s over! It’s over! Knick fans, this is not a dream! Your long, long wait is ended. Go ahead and cry: after 53 years, the Knicks are finally NBA Champions once again!”
Stephen A. Smith
On the Knicks winning the championship:
“I don’t even know how to put it in words because I damn sure didn’t play. I didn’t practice like these guys did, they did it. But it’s been 53 long years, and there’s been so many moments of misery that we had to endure as New York Knick fans. And to be here tonight, I gotta confess until this series I never thought it’d happen.
“So many things have gone wrong: The layups that wasn’t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick] Ewings finger rolls, the Game 7s they didn’t come out on top. Time after time after time… And to be in attendance witnessing the end of a 53-year drought as born in The Bronx, raised in Hollis, Queens, New York City. I’ve been a New York fan all my life, I never thought I’d see it.
“I don’t even know what to say. I can’t put into words how this feels. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life covering sports. I’ve never had a feeling like this. It’s unbelievable.”
On why the Knicks ‘saved’ the NBA:
“Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks saved the NBA with this championship. Stay with me. If the Spurs win the championship, the entire NBA is evolving its scheme around how do you knock off the alien, the 7-foot-5 alien from France. How do you do it?
“Well, guess what? Now that a 6-1 guard, who’s not the most athletic above the rim dude — that ain’t his game, just savvy, brilliant as a basketball savant, footwork extraordinaire — that guy at 6-foot-1 led this team. And in a close-out Game 5 drops 45 on a Spurs defense that was pretty elite. That’s what they did.”
Ben Stiller
On the Knicks winning the championship:
“As happy as I’ve ever felt. It’s pretty amazing. It’s pretty amazing.”
