Rick Pitino believes the New York Knicks just gave every level of basketball a lesson in how championships are really built. After the Knicks captured their first NBA title since 1973, the legendary coach took to X to praise the team’s run and explain why their championship should be studied far beyond the NBA.
“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. Amazing run. Champions we can all look up to!”
That message sums up exactly what made this Knicks team different.
Yes, New York had Jalen Brunson playing like one of the best players in basketball. He won Finals MVP, closed out the San Antonio Spurs with a legendary 45-point performance in Game 5, and carried the Knicks through the biggest moments of their playoff run.
But the Knicks were never just a one-man story. That is what Pitino seems to appreciate most. This was a team built on chemistry, sacrifice, and trust. Brunson was the face of the run, but Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and the rest of the roster all played critical roles.
Towns changed the Finals with his defense on Victor Wembanyama and his ability to pull him away from the rim. Anunoby delivered elite defense and timely offense, including his unforgettable Game 4 tip-in. Bridges gave the Knicks another two-way weapon. Hart continued doing all the little things that rarely show up properly in box scores.
That balance is why New York kept surviving. The Knicks came back from double-digit deficits throughout the NBA Finals, including a 29-point comeback in Game 4 and a 16-point comeback in Game 5. They were not always perfect, but they never looked rattled for long.
That is the ‘never relenting’ attitude Pitino was talking about.
The Knicks won because they were unified. They trusted each other, defended together, and embraced physicality. The Knicks stayed calm when the games got uncomfortable. They had stars, but they also had buy-in from everyone.
Pitino knows what that looks like. He coached the Knicks from 1987 to 1989 and led them to a 52-win season in 1988-89. He understands what winning basketball in New York is supposed to feel like. So when he says this Knicks team should be studied, it carries real weight.
The Knicks did not just end a 53-year drought. They became an example. For every young player chasing a title, every college team trying to build a culture, and every NBA roster searching for a winning formula, Pitino’s message is simple.
Work hard, stay connected, trust your teammates, and never stop fighting. That is how the Knicks became champions.
