The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Obviously, this is a big deal for fans of the team. After suffering through heartbreak, frustration and no shortage of embarrassment over the past few decades, they are on the brink of winning their first championship since Richard Nixon was president.
But the excitement isn’t just about basketball. When the most popular team in America’s biggest city breaks through the way the Knicks have, it becomes a cultural event that matters even to those of us who think a pick-and-roll is a type of bodega sandwich.
So here’s a rundown of what you need to know to be plugged into the zeitgeist, even if you have zero knowledge of or interest in what happens on the actual court.
Why is it such a big deal that the Knicks made the finals?
The Knicks have one of the biggest and most devoted fan bases in American sports, but the team hasn’t given its fans that much to cheer for until recently. At varying points over the past 27 years, the Knicks have fluctuated from being an also-ran to an afterthought to, at times, a laughing stock. So a big part of the fervor over the team reaching the finals is a sort of collective release of all the pent-up frustration that has plagued Knicks fans for decades.
There’s also an element of joyful surprise to it all. Without getting too deep into the basketball minutia, the Knicks looked like they might be on a path to having another season end in confounding fashion late last month but suddenly became invincible out of nowhere. On their path to the finals, the team mounted the most dominant 10-game stretch by point differential in NBA history.
In case you were wondering: The Knicks’ full name, the Knickerbockers, comes from the term meaning a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of New York or, more broadly, a nickname for a native or resident of New York City.
Here are the players you need to know about
Jalen Brunson huddles with his teammates during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
Jalen Brunson: The Knicks’ best player is their point guard (guy who dribbles a lot). He’s small by NBA standards but incredibly crafty and famous for coming through in big moments (to the point that he won an award for it a couple of years ago). Even though he’s only in his fourth year with the team, he’s already considered to potentially be the greatest Knick ever. He would unquestionably claim that crown if he leads the team to a championship this year. He has already been dubbed the “King of New York,” and some fans take their adoration of him to an even deeper level.
Karl-Anthony Towns: The big man universally known as KAT is something of a chaotic counterpoint to Brunson’s steady leadership. KAT is arguably the best shooter for someone his size ever, which periodically makes him virtually unstoppable. But he’s also the target of (loving) jokes for his occasionally erratic decision-making, animated facial expressions and signature shout of “Oh my God!” when he feels like the refs missed a foul.
OG Anunoby: Compared with many of his teammates, Anunoby is relatively unassuming as a personality. He isn’t prone to dramatic reactions on the court and rarely makes news with his off-court comments. But he’s earned an enormous amount of respect among Knicks fans for his dogged defense and consistent scoring. The viral moments he does create typically center around other stars’ reactions to him, including NBA legend Charles Barkley quizzing him about his real name, rumors of a relationship with Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, and Anne Hathaway’s reverent retelling of a midgame interaction the two shared.
Josh Hart: There are other Knicks with more talent, but no one plays as hard as Josh Hart. His relentless hustle has made him a favorite among Knicks fans. He also may be the funniest player in the NBA, frequently turning otherwise routine moments into memorable ones with his antics — including his choice to bring a glass of wine to the postgame press conference after sealing a trip to the finals.
Enough basketball — let’s talk celebrities
Even the average Knicks game is often a showcase for A-listers, and the scene has gotten even more star-studded as the team has made its remarkable run to the finals. The undisputed king of celebrity Knicks fans is Oscar-winning director Spike Lee. He’s been courtside, and sometimes on the actual court, for decades, frequently antagonizing the opposing team’s best players.
Tina Fey, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor at Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Madison Square Garden.
(Sarah Stier via Getty Images)
Actor Timothée Chalamet has emerged as the signature celebrity fan for a younger generation of Knicks devotees. The Marty Supreme star has been ever-present throughout the playoffs, even when the Knicks are playing outside of New York, often with girlfriend Kylie Jenner sitting alongside him. He’s become so enmeshed with the team that he was welcomed onto the court and spent time with the players’ WAGS — wives and girlfriends — as they celebrated clinching a finals berth on Monday. That includes Jenner’s close friend and fellow reality star Jordyn Woods, who is dating Towns.
Other celebrity die-hards you’re likely to spot include Ben Stiller, Mariska Hargitay, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Larry David, Pete Davidson, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart.
The presence of so many Knicks-supporting stars has posed a bit of a challenge for opposing teams, who reportedly haven’t been happy about having the most recognizable faces on the sidelines of their home games belong to supporters of the visiting team. Rapper Fat Joe said he and several other Knicks fans had their courtside tickets taken away before Monday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Even the mayor has gotten involved
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a massive Knicks fan. He’s been relishing the team’s winning streak by taking playful jabs at their opponents, including a viral X post on Monday night calling on the NYC sanitation department to deal with the Knicks’ “sweep” of the Cavaliers. Earlier in the playoffs, he took a public jab at longtime Knicks nemesis Trae Young. He also attended a game last week in person, paying out of his own pocket for seats way up in the upper deck — where tickets cost only $700.
On Tuesday, Mamdani announced plans for city-wide watch parties during the NBA Finals.
What’s up with those crazy crowds in the street?
Over the past few years, it’s become something of a tradition for the Knicks’ most rabid fans to gather outside Madison Square Garden to throw raucous celebrations after big wins. These wild get-togethers have been the source of countless viral scenes as ecstatic fans shout increasingly unhinged statements to influencers waiting to capture the chaos for social media. But their most enduring moment was the comparatively understated call of “bing bong” made by one fan five years ago. That melodic chant, intended to mimic the tones that play when a NYC subway train’s doors close, has become an inescapable catchphrase among the team’s fanbase.
The New York Police Department took steps to control the crowds last week, announcing that it will no longer support officially sanctioned watch parties after fans became “unruly” following a recent Knicks win, leading to six arrests. However, Knicks fans have still been showing up to party at MSG without the city’s formal permission and will probably keep doing so throughout the finals.
Historically high ticket prices
Even though the Knicks don’t yet know who they’ll be playing in the finals, tickets for their upcoming games in New York are already breaking records. The “get-in” price (i.e., the lowest possible price to get into the building) was nearly $3,500. That’s more than some recent Super Bowls, according to the resale site TickPick. As of Tuesday, courtside seats were listed as high as $150,000.
Why do people keep talking about Villanova?
Three of the Knicks’ most important players — Brunson, Hart and shooting guard Mikal Bridges — were championship-winning teammates in college when they played together at Villanova University. They have been close friends ever since but were only able to reunite after the Knicks made a series of moves to bring them together. The trio often does interviews as a group and frequently poke fun at one another through the media, including Brunson’s and Bridges’s regular reminders that Hart was present for only one of Villanova’s two titles.
There were four “Nova Knicks” for a brief period after Bridges joined the team in 2024. But the group lost a member a few months later when guard Donte DiVincenzo was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Can the Knicks actually win the championship?
Maybe! On paper, their two potential opponents — the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder — appear to be better teams. But the Spurs and Thunder are currently locked in an all-out marathon series to decide who will advance. The Knicks will be healthier and more rested, regardless of who they end up playing, which could be enough to help them take home their first title since 1973.
