OG Anunoby is usually one of the quietest and most reserved players on the New York Knicks, but the newly crowned NBA champion showed a completely different side of himself before appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
A backstage video of Anunoby quickly gained attention on social media after he was seen smiling from ear to ear while posing for a photo surrounded by members of the Knicks City Dancers.
For a player who rarely shows much emotion during interviews or games, the moment immediately stood out.
Anunoby looked relaxed, happy, and fully prepared to enjoy the celebration after helping New York win its first NBA championship since 1973. Fans joked about how much energy he suddenly had while standing alongside the dance team, with many pointing out that they had rarely seen him smile that much before.
Honestly, nobody can blame him. Anunoby had just completed one of the best seasons of his career and played a major role in ending the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought. The 28-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists during the regular season while shooting 48.4% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range.
His impact became even greater once the playoffs began. Anunoby averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks across 17 postseason games. He shot an incredible 56.1% from the field and 48.9% from three-point range, giving New York elite production on both ends of the floor.
He also won the second championship of his career after previously helping the Toronto Raptors capture the title in 2019. Still, no moment from Anunoby’s Knicks career will be remembered more than his game-winning putback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
New York trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 29 points at halftime before completing the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. With the game tied in the final seconds, Anunoby crashed the glass and tipped in a missed shot with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving the Knicks a dramatic 107-106 victory.
The basket gave New York a commanding 3-1 series lead before the Knicks closed out the championship in Game 5. Without Anunoby’s effort on the offensive glass, the Spurs could have tied the series and completely changed the direction of the Finals. Instead, his tip-in moved New York within one victory of the championship.
Anunoby averaged 21.2 points and 4.8 rebounds across the five-game Finals, providing consistent scoring while also handling difficult defensive assignments. His backstage moment with the Knicks dance team may have been lighthearted, but it also showed how much the championship meant to him.
Anunoby is rarely the loudest personality in the room. He does not seek attention, dominate interviews, or celebrate every big play with dramatic emotion. But after delivering one of the greatest shots in Knicks history and becoming a two-time NBA champion, even OG Anunoby could not hide his smile.
