The New York Knicks have been crowned the 2025-26 NBA champions after a 94-90 win on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, completing a 4-1 win in the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson just pulled off a sensational performance and dropped 45 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals to lead the Knicks’ rally back from down 16 points early in the game to steal victory.
The Knicks guard broke down in tears at the final buzzer as the Knicks became the NBA champions for the first time since 1973, ending a 53-year drought for New York.
Jalen Brunson soaking it all in 🥹 pic.twitter.com/aLYmdoMk6R
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 14, 2026
Following the game, an emotional Jalen Brunson spoke to Lisa Salters on the sidelines, where he found it hard to describe his initial feelings in words.
“Holy s—. I’ve got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of,” Brunson said initially.
“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.”
“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.”
Brunson simply broke down in tears when asked about what it meant to him to win with his father as a member of the same team and prove their critics wrong.
“We’re going to find a way, whatever you put in front of us, we’re going to find a way,” Brunson said in his concluding remarks.
“I don’t know what I’m feeling.”
Jalen Brunson is in disbelief after leading the Knicks to the mountaintop 👏 pic.twitter.com/OQRgWcRotw
— ESPN (@espn) June 14, 2026
The Knicks guard was eventually crowned the Finals MVP. He averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, while shooting 42.1% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the three-point line.
His $113 million sacrifice has brought New York a championship after so long. He will now be eligible for an extension after the 2027-28 season, and can deservingly demand an extension valued upwards of $400 million.
Other players on the Knicks also broke down in tears as their dreams became a reality tonight. The Frost Bank Center also broke out in celebrations as a lot of New Yorkers and Knicks fans from around the country had traveled to watch their favorite team end a 53-year wait.
