By Andrew Simpson, age 14
Did you wonder why there was so much commotion on the streets of New York City on June 13, 2026? That Saturday night, the New York Knicks clinched their first NBA championship in 53 years with a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs. At the same time, the Brazil vs. Morocco World Cup game was happening, which contributed to the chaos of the evening. But the Knicks winning overshadowed the hype of the World Cup. “People live and shed tears here for basketball,” Knicks fan Raymond Yu told the BBC. “We care way more about the Knicks than the World Cup right now.”
The Knicks were founded in 1946 and became a part of the newly founded Basketball Association of America, which later became the NBA. According to the NBA website, the name of the Knicks, derived from the term “Knickerbocker” or “Knickers,” was used to describe a style of pants that Dutch settlers wore in the 1600s, which rolled up just below the knee. Fred Podesta, the first manager of the team, stated, “The name came out of a hat. … We each put a name in the hat, and when we pulled them out, most of them said Knickerbockers, after Father Knickerbocker, the symbol of New York City. It soon was shortened to ‘Knicks.’”
Knicks fans have had a roller coaster of emotions throughout the years. They had winning records in each of their first nine seasons and advanced to the NBA Finals in three consecutive years (1951–53), losing each time. ince then, they have continually finished at or near the bottom of their conference standings.
A new hope for the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony had a monumental impact on the Knicks’ overall success, including helping them win their first division title in 19 years in 2012–13. Unfortunately, his time on the team was cut short, and he missed much of the 2014–15 season with a left knee injury. This ultimately resulted in the Knicks finishing with the worst record in franchise history that season (17–65).
After Tom Thibodeau became head coach of the Knicks in 2020, the team began to improve and made it to the playoffs in his first season. The success continued after the additions of guard Jalen Brunson, who helped the Knicks advance to the playoffs, and Karl-Anthony Towns, who helped the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years in the 2023-24 season. Current coach Mike Brown was able to follow through on their success and lead the Knicks through to their city’s shaking win this year.
This historic victory was cause for a major celebration, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani scheduled a Knicks parade along Broadway in Lower Manhattan. When the Knicks won, some people climbed light poles and set off fireworks.
New York’s energetic spirit, combined with the Knicks’ win, created an intense reaction. To find out how different people felt about the Knicks’ win throughout the city, I asked two of my classmates and instructors if they were interested in the Knicks before the Finals. Soledad Aguilar-Colon, a graduate student from uptown Manhattan, replied, “I was never interested in the Knicks before they won, but now I am. Also, I went to the WNBA game, but the energy of the Finals was unmatched compared to the WNBA.”
Sixth grader Juandiego, who lives in the Bronx, stated: “I only watched the finals of the Knicks, but I will start to watch more games since they won, but only the Knicks.”
These responses demonstrate that not everyone has always been a longtime Knicks fan. This is important because it shows how the Knicks have become a beacon of hope for every New Yorker. The Knicks have shown perseverance for 53 years trying to break free of a winning drought. At the Knicks’ parade, Mayor Mamdani said, “Over these past weeks, as the Knicks kept winning, our city has come together as one.”
This summer, the Knicks changed how New Yorkers think about basketball. This championship was more than just a win, it was a symbol of the adversity that New Yorkers face every day.
