The New York Knicks won their first NBA title in 53 years on Friday night, defeating Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in five games. Jalen Brunson scored 45 of the Knicks' 94 points in the deciding game, capping one of the most celebrated sports moments in New York City history.
According to Variety, Brunson is an undersized guard who has been counted out throughout his career. He ran around the Knicks' locker room as a toddler, and his own father rode the pine during the Knicks' 1999 Finals loss, also a five-game series against the Spurs, before coaching his son to victory. Brunson won the title alongside his NCAA Championship-winning teammates Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. He also sacrificed $113 million for the team along the way.
"I've got no words," Brunson muttered after winning it all. "It's everything I've ever dreamed of."
The championship series included what Variety described as the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Knicks fought back in every game of the series. The celebration in New York City has been building for weeks, with fire trucks honking, strangers hugging in the streets, and skyscrapers lit up in orange and blue.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that celebrities turned out to celebrate the win. Timothée Chalamet was among those in the locker room after the game, getting sprayed with champagne alongside players. Spike Lee and Ben Stiller were also among those celebrating. Chalamet was quoted as saying he would have been "way rather this than the Oscars."
The Knicks' championship drought stretched back to 1973. The franchise had endured decades of near-misses, bad luck, and difficult decisions, from missing out on Steph Curry by one pick in the draft to the departures of key players over the years.
Brunson's father, Rick Brunson, played for the Knicks during their 1999 Finals run and never won a title. On Friday night, he watched his son win one for the same franchise. The moment drew significant attention from fans and media as one of the more personal storylines of the entire playoff run.
