The New York Knicks finally ended their long 53-year title drought by beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals. The Knicks players and staff will be getting the much-coveted championship rings in a couple of months, and some of their fans think there is one person outside the organization who should get it, too.
Filmmaker Spike Lee has been a Knicks season-ticket holder since 1985, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes he should be rewarded for 41 years of loyalty with a ring.
“I completely support this for Spike Lee. No Knicks’ fan deserves this more than him.”
I completely support this for Spike Lee. No Knicks’ fan deserves this more than him https://t.co/AFJGv7FAgS
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 14, 2026
Smith got support for this take, too.
“‘He definitely deserves it.’- I’m a New Yorker and Knicks Fan – and I don’t remember a Knicks game without Spike,” one fan wholeheartedly agreed with Smith.
“He should get a ring also. And his seats should be free. That’s how you show appreciation to someone who has spent that kind of money for those seats,” a fan says Spike’s tickets should be free moving forward.
“10 mil, he practically paid for the ring already,” one believes Spike has already paid for his ring.
“Agree. Fans are part of the team, and he’s been there for the good, the bad, and the ugly when a lot of us (like me) wouldn’t even watch on TV. I saw the 70 and 73 teams as a teen and waited in hope for this day, but Spike was the ultimate fan,” a fan praised Spike for supporting the team through thick and thin.
“Yeah, man, Spike should get a ring. All the games he has been to and his support for this team, he might as well be the mascot. Give him a ring and put him on a float on Thursday as well,” one fan wants Spike to be with the team for the parade.
Spike, who became a fan in 1970, is said to have spent over $10 million on Knicks tickets over the years, but this is less about money and more about loyalty. There were plenty of times over these 41 years when he could have been excused for giving up on this team.
From 2001-02 to 2009-10, the Knicks made the playoffs once. They got in as the seventh seed in 2004 and were swept by the New Jersey Nets in the first round.
The Knicks then had a stretch where they made the postseason three years in a row, but they won just one playoff series during that time. That was followed by another seven years of no playoffs.
So, we are talking about four playoff appearances in 19 seasons and one series victory. The Knicks were a laughing stock during those dark days, but Spike stuck with the team. All those years of agony would have made this triumph all the sweeter.
Now, some would argue that despite all this, Spike, or any other fan for that matter, shouldn’t get a ring. The 69-year-old is sure to be asked about this at some point, and it will be interesting to see what he has to say.
