Second day waking up as a fan of the reigning NBA champs.
Truth be told, it feels the same as it did yesterday, if not better.
Here’s the latest, including a brief and unexpected cameo from the man who built the house!
On his reaction to the Knicks’ championship:
“Man, that’s how it goes. You may have some good things going for you, may have some things that don’t go right for you, but I’m just proud of the guys.”
On the Knicks’ championship culture:
“The buy in. It was a contract that I had everybody sign opening dinner night and I still have it framed. Everybody’s signature from Mr. Dolan to Leon Rose, all the coaches, all the players, all the staff that was there that night signed it and basically it was about committing to sacrifice, having a competitive spirit, being connected, believing in each other in the process while holding everybody accountable — even myself. I’m not above the law, I’ve gotta be held accountable too.
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I told everybody that night, if you’re not gonna abide by this, I’d have more respect for you to not sign it than to sign it and BS your way through the night and BS your way through this and everybody bought in from Day 1. And that speaks volumes to all of these guys as individuals and especially the leadership on this team, starting with Jalen Brunson.”
On Jalen Brunson’s contract sacrifice:
“He understands what winning is about. He took a pay cut that I wouldn’t take. Every time they would throw that number in front of me, I would say no, and I feel like I’m a great guy. He set the bar. That set the standard.
“You know, he comes and he probably takes a pay cut that I wouldn’t have taken. Every time they would’ve thrown that number in front of me, I would have said no — and I feel like I’m a good guy! He set the bar before he even stepped on the floor.”
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On Jalen Brunson’s place in Knicks history:
“I love Pat[rick Ewing]. Pat’s up there. I hope Pat doesn’t kill me. He’s bigger than me. We’re both old and slow but because he’s got a longer reach, he might be able to kill me. But Brunson … he is him, man. When it comes to New York basketball, he is freaking him.”
On Leon Rose’s leadership:
“He’s been an absolute, no matter what happens going forward, I don’t care what happens going forward, he’s been an absolute joy to work with. His family’s been great. His wife, my wife, they get along fantastic. That synergy between me and him, our two wives, it helped the whole organization align horizontally and vertically. That’s what you have to have in these situations, especially when things get tough. He’s not going to waver.”
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On assistant coach Chris Jent:
“There are a lot of jobs open out there. Chris Jent, my associate head coach, I’m surprised has not gotten an interview. He won the Summer League championship this past summer, he’s our offensive coordinator, associate head coach. He’s been around for a long time. Someone needs to give him an interview because he will help your team win at the highest level.”
On winning the championship:
“Words can’t describe it, but I’ll say I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can be to try and help a team win. Just really thankful to have an organization, a coaching staff, my teammates, to have my back every single day. I think that means the most to me. And my family.”
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On believing a title was possible after taking a pay cut:
“With a lot of hard work and effort, I knew it was achievable. But that was only a small portion of it. I think everyone bonding, coming together, having the mindset of just believing in each other, never giving up, no matter what the situation was, made this all possible. Yes, it may look like [the contract] had something to do with it, but it’s a credit to my teammates.”
On the challenge posed by the Spurs’ defense:
“I don’t think it took a toll on me mentally. Maybe a little bit physically, obviously, just because of the game and what they are trying to do. Mentally, I feel fresh. I feel like that’s where I thrive.”
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On Leon Rose:
“I think he’s a great basketball mind. I also think he surrounds himself with good people. The way he’s been able to do this, especially here with all the scrutiny people do to him and everything — I just think the way he goes about his business is as good as anyone.”
On him not feeling real pressure after having experienced his father’s journey:
“No pressure. No pressure whatsoever. My dad being on eight or nine unguaranteed contracts throughout his career and not knowing when you’re going to get cut, when a team is going to move on from you, while your family is on the East Coast and you are wherever you are in the country. That’s pressure. Working out three times a day in the summertime and watching him push himself just to get a training camp deal, that’s pressure. I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am and I definitely think I worked pretty hard. So when the opportunity presented itself like it did today, I just trusted my work. … I’m just never afraid to fail.”
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On his $113 million sacrifice:
“100% worth it. 100% worth it. I would… Even if we didn’t achieve this, I feel like being able to do that, grind, and go on a journey to try and achieve it, it would have been worth it as well. But this is definitely the cherry on top.”
On the Knicks’ identity:
“A team that’s never going to quit. We’re going to find a way. I feel like, over the years, we’ve had that mindset. But I think this year, we proved it. We actually truly believed it.”
On Mike Brown:
“He understands what it is to be a champion. He understands how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. And we’re so grateful, so thankful to have him at the top. He kept us even so many times. He’s brought the best out of us as people first, and, man, I’m so happy for him. He’s the reason why we’re (champions).”
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On metting his father on the court after the final buzzer:
“I walked right to halfcourt, shook Mitch Johnson’s hand, and then turned around and my dad was there, and felt emotional from that point on.”
On becoming NBA champion and Finals MVP:
“It hasn’t sunk in. I honestly don’t know right now.”
On his message to Taylor Swift fans after Monica McNutt’s comments:
“I just want to say something to the Swifties. She’s a really good one, cut her some slack. It’s all good, I promise.”
On finally winning a championship:
“God is good. It’s all happening.”
On the Knicks’ family culture:
“We conduct ourselves like family, and [Leon Rose] has always had that family mantra in everything he’s done. Doing that, I think that’s real. The connectivity, the unity this team represents every single night regardless of what the deficit is. … As a family, you never want to let your brothers down, and you never want to disappoint them. So, for us, it’s always about just being the best for each other and understanding that regardless of what happens in the world or what people say, we’re all we got and all we need. As a family, when you truly do believe in your family, you feel anything is possible.”
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On Jalen Brunson playing through injury:
“That’s who Cap is — Cap always find a way to get back on the court and produce. That’s a testament to who he is, and just his story — never giving up, always have been the underdog, always been looked down upon. It always takes one person to believe in you. This organization believed in him, and we believed in him. We were going to do whatever it takes to get him to the next level.”
On Jalen Brunson’s journey:
“I see a man that’s grown up and took the challenge of being in the biggest market in the world, being with a team that hasn’t made it to the NBA Finals in 27 years and hasn’t won in [53] years, and knowing that he could do it. Shoutout to everybody who told him he couldn’t do it, because it gave him fuel for the fire. For him to welcome both of us here into this organization and trust that we were here for him, it means a lot. It means a lot to have a person like that who has been handed the keys to the city and was willing to have the door open for both of us to join.”
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On Leon Rose:
“When you’re an agent, I think anyone who knows the sports agency business, it’s all about relationships. What Leon is one of the best in the world at is having genuine, loving relationships with people. I think because of that, you see the way our team acts, the way our team conducts itself. We conduct ourselves like family, and he’s always had that family mantra in everything he’s done. Doing that, I think that’s real. The connectivity, the unity this team represents every single night, regardless of what the deficit is.”
On the impossibility of carrying the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his duffel bag:
“How am I gonna do this? That s–t heavy. That’s why I workout! That’s why I workout!”
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On where he’s putting the trophy:
“I’m putting this s–t next to the bed for when I’m getting it in.”
On his parents’ support:
“Shoutout to him and to my mom, too, because she had a lot of hours where they didn’t see me and trusted in me, and my pops was really putting it in at work and was trusting that we were going to make something special out of this.”
On the five-pick talk after winning the championship:
“It’s an amazing feeling to be here. Forget those picks. Forget those picks, dawg! We’re here!”
On Jalen and Rick Brunson sharing the championship:
“Oh, man, it’s so cool. So cool to see that, because I’ve seen the hard work. I’ve seen their relationship. I’ve seen the work that they both put in to get to this point. … And to be able to do that with your dad, both played on the same team, that’s something they are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”
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On sacrificing personal stats for winning:
“Everybody wants to be the guy that scores the most, that puts the ball in the basket, and that’s not everybody’s path. That wasn’t my path, and sometimes that’s a tough pill to swallow, but when you embrace that, when you’re a star in your role, and you take pride in doing the little things, that breeds winning basketball.”
On embracing his role in New York:
“For me, as embraced as I was in this city wearing this jersey, that sacrifice was easy. Some days it was tough, don’t get me wrong, but you sacrifice for moments like this.”
On winning the championship with the Knicks:
“Man, this is the best feeling, man. We worked so hard for this. I give glory to God. Everyone was doubted at some point. This team was doubted at some point. And all we focused on was the next game. All we focused on were those guys in the locker room, man.”
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On the pressure of wearing a Knicks jersey:
“People don’t understand, you know, we don’t really talk about it, but the weight of that jersey, the expectations, the pressure of that jersey. And I guess today, right now, it’s the lightest I’ve ever felt. And all glory to God, man.”
On the criticism he’s received:
“Just grateful, just very grateful… But yeah, like f–k’em. You know all the times I’ve been struggling, and I got the fans on me. The thing about me is that I want to always be better. So you know, no matter how they feel, I always want to be better.”
On fan expectations for him in the future:
“Hope I’m still here, you know, continuing to keep that edge. Keep pushing me because if they strongly believe that we have a chance every year and they really strongly believe they need me to be better.”
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On tough love from fans:
“I’m already thinking that, so I appreciate the tough love. I know some fans might be a little bit crazier than others, but the ones that truly care and want me to be better, don’t stop now, just keep pushing me.”
On handling criticism:
“I know sometimes I’ll struggle this and that, but just know I’m gonna keep working, and if they keep you know egging me on and talking a little s–t, that’s alright. I’m pretty tough, I’ll be alright.”
On criticism from Knicks fans:
“The times I’ve been struggling, the fans were on me — the thing is about me, I want to always be better. So whatever, how they feel, I always want to be better. They keep pushing me and if they strongly believe that we have a chance every year and if they strongly believe I have a chance to be better, I’m already thinking about that.”
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On appreciating the Knicks’ faithful tough love:
“I appreciate the tough love. I know some fans might be a little bit crazier than others, but the ones that truly care, and want me to be better, don’t stop now. Just keep pushing me.”
On Jalen Brunson’s leadership:
“His mindset, his work ethic, his energy that he just brings. You know, he just brings joy, and you know, we need that. You know, when stuff gets rough, we have a little sit-down, talk, and he gets us back on track, like a leader, like a captain. To have him around, especially for the last four or five years, it’s been truly amazing. I mean, there’s really no words I can really put here, but he’s just, you know, he just does his thing.”
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On catching another snake before the title-winning game:
“Yesterday, at the hotel, I caught a snake. Again. You know I caught a snake in the beginning of the playoffs when we played Atlanta. We won, and I caught one last night and we won today. I think it’s something about snakes.”
On celebrating at the Puerto Rican Day Parade:
“I’m blessed. And a little drunk. Thank you guys so much, it means the world to me. Really. I’m a kid from Brooklyn. And the Knicks party f–kin’ did it.”
On winning an NBA championship:
“I really don’t know what to make of it yet. I can’t believe this really happened.”
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On meeting Patrick Ewing:
“The craziest part is that Patrick Ewing knows who I am! I’m just a kid from Brooklyn and Patrick Ewing knows who I am!”
On the Knicks’ new nickname:
“Champ Cheese!”
On being asked if he’s an NBA champion:
“Are you an NBA champ? Champ cheese!”
On the celebration:
“I don’t drink guys. I definitely don’t drink. Never that.”
On the best part of the celebration:
“Popping bottles.”
On winning back-to-back championship:
“This s–t is so unreal. It don’t even make sense. The NBA champions. F–king insane. I don’t even know what to say.”
On Mikal Bridges and the traded draft picks:
“F–k them picks. F–k ’em. Look what we got … We got him out of Brooklyn. Look at him now, you’re a champion. Look at him now.”
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On the media Finals prediction:
“I thought this was a seven-game series? I thought they said Spurs in seven?”
On winning a championship with his son:
“I could never envision this.”
On the Jalen Brunson haters:
“What they gonna say now?”
On Jalen Brunson’s decision to shake hands with the San Antonio Spurs players and coach before celebrating:
“Because he was raised right. But that’s his mom. That ain’t me.”
On his emotions right after winning the title:
“My heart is just in my sneaker, man. You can’t see it on the outside, but on the inside, I’m steaming inside.”
On Jalen Brunson exceeding expectations:
“I can’t imagine. I never thought he’d get to this level. I’d be lying to you if I said I thought he would be this good. I just wanted someone to come to New York, run a team, and hopefully have a chance to win a championship. And for him to be the guy to help me help the team, this is surreal.”
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On his message to Mark Cuban:
“Tell Mark [Cuban], thank you!”
On the importance of being a father first:
“In ’99, it was a great run for us, but I would say now it’s more exciting for me as a father to see your son on the stage and performing.”
On his relationship with Jalen Brunson:
“The most important thing about a father is that you can’t be a fan. You’ve got to be a father. With my son and me, I’m his father. I’m not your friend, I’m not your buddy, I’m not a fan. He doesn’t cross that line, and I don’t cross that line.”
On instilling belief in Jalen Brunson:
“All I can say is it’s about belief. I remember asking Jalen during his junior year of college if there was one word that he would use to encompass everything he’s about. He said, ‘Belief.’ As you get older you realize your natural ability can only take you so far. You need something else. You need belief. Because you can’t control everything.”
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On the Knicks believing in Jalen:
“I remember saying to Jalen when they made the offer, ‘You can bet on yourself now. They believe in you.’ It makes such a difference when people really want you and believe in you.”
On New York needing a star and JB filling that gap:
“People in New York were always saying they needed a star. And I used to wonder, ‘How do you become a star?’ You have to give him a chance, right? A chance to actually become a star.”
On helping Jalen focus as a child:
“That was my way of giving him something else to focus on. Dad’s not here, so focus on what we can control. Now that he plays 80-something games a year I don’t know if he does it each game anymore. It probably doesn’t go with his decor in his home.”
On Jalen Brunson’s toughness:
“He gets the toughness from his dad. The way he just keeps coming at you. Rick was the same way. Obviously, Jalen was more of an offensive player. But they’re both tough. Just tough.”
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On processing the championship:
“It’s really hard right now to put it into words. I’m processing the win, but I haven’t processed the championship yet.”
On the 1999 Finals run:
“Even though we didn’t win it, it was the greatest moment, because it’s the highest stage you can ever play on.”
On the 2026 championship:
“It’s hard to get here. Very hard. Being able to be a part of seeing the journey for these guys who you get to spend time with — to see their journey and process individually and collectively — it’s incredible. It’s incredible to be a part of a championship team in New York. It’s kind of hard to process right now.”
On the Knicks winning the championship:
“It has been a long time coming. The last time we were here in ’99, I had tears of sorrow. Today I have tears of joy. It’s a dream come true. I’m doing great. I’m feeling so blessed.”
On finally achieving the goal:
“We have had this goal. Myself as a player, myself as part of the organization, we’ve had the dream of getting to this point and winning the championship, and we finally achieved it.”
On beating the Spurs this time:
“The last time we were here, Tim (Duncan) and David (Robinson) were having a party against us, but tonight it’s ours.”
On redemption from the 1999 loss:
“It definitely makes up for what happened in 1999. They got us back then, we got them now.”
On his 1999 Finals injury:
“If I hadn’t gotten hurt, who knows what that future would’ve been. But you know what? In ‘99 I cried because I wasn’t able to go out there and help my team. Tonight it’s tears of joy. So ‘99 we didn’t get it done, but these guys were able to get it done for us.”
On the Spurs’ Finals loss:
“There’s a lot that goes into it. We didn’t deserve to win the games. There’s a lot of levels of execution. There can be rebounding. There can be end-of-game details. There can be starting the game where you get the lead and then you don’t sustain that. We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship. The better team won. We did a lot of good things, and we didn’t finish the job.”
On Victor Wembanyama’s growth:
“I think he’s stepped into every moment with the appropriate amount of fearlessness and also respect for the moment and being exactly who he is. He’s bringing his teammates and everybody else along with him. It’s been pretty fun to observe and be a part of.”
On Victor Wembanyama’s leadership:
“Victor Wembanyama’s leadership style has grown tremendously and has stepped into every moment with the appropriate amount of fearlessness and also respect for the moment.”
On what he wants the Spurs to learn from the loss:
“I hope it leaves them being hungrier than they’ve ever been and I hope it leaves them to be more motivated than we’ve ever been.”
On the Spurs’ season:
“We’ve been blood, sweat, and tears for nine months basically, it’s over. There’ll be plenty of time for reflection but on the surface level I don’t think anyone other than the people in that room expected us to be here.”
On his final words after yet another losing season:
“Appreciate y’all. See you… never.”
On the Spurs’ mistakes in the Finals:
“The margin for error is very thin. Our domination stints are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series. But our errors, our mistakes are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this so much, you know? The ups are OK. The downs are the reason we lost.”
On waiting to return to the Finals:
“What I’m pissed about is, there’s probably a hundred games before we can be back in the Finals. I don’t know how to say it in English. But I’m going to have to hold that inside of me, slow down, wait and execute for a hundred games. It’s going to be all of it [shaping my mentality in the future]; who we are, what we’re made of, our experiences.”
On the lessons from the Finals loss:
“This has been a hell of a year in terms of experience. I don’t think we could have learned more and gained more experience in one playoff run and in one season, and personally in 18 months. This is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment. I can’t tell you exactly what the lesson is. But we’re learning from that. I’m learning more than any other time in my life.”
On his performance in Game 5:
“There was some good, some bad. There were a lot of possessions I want to take back and do differently. But that’s now how the ball bounced. Just got to keep moving on.”
On his shooting struggles:
“I got shots I’ve made in the past and sometimes you just don’t make them. Some felt good. Back rim, in and out. It is what it is. Obviously, I wish I made those shots, but that team is physical. They force you into taking jump shots and try to keep you out of the paint. But shots just didn’t go down for me.”
On learning from the Finals loss:
“I think you have to look at it for the season it’s been. The pain of losing in the Finals, and ultimately you have to accept that. There’s no guarantee that this group will ever have the opportunity to achieve that. Some players in this room may be able to get back to the Finals, some players in this room may be able to win a championship. I think accepting what this moment has been, where we come to as a team, and hopefully as guys continue on in their careers — whether it’s five, 10, 15 years — they’ll use this as a reference point.”
On watching the Knicks celebrate:
“Seeing them storm the court on our home court… it’s tough, it’s tough. We know we’ll do everything we can to scratch, fight to back into this position and have a different outcome but right now it’s tough.”
On the Spurs’ mistakes:
“Obviously, in the finals, with everything being amplified, one mistake can cost you a game. I think we had a couple that cost us multiple.”
On Dylan Harper’s season-long unhappiness with his role:
“Tremendously proud…. I think we all knew he was talented. I don’t know if anybody knew he was this talented besides himself. He was upset with playing time and different roles that he was in, but when we needed him most, he stepped up, and we have a star in the making. I know that he is going to put so much work into the offseason, it’s not just offensively, defensively, he’s made a lot of plays. He’s grown so much, I mean, what, he’s 20-21 years old. The sky is the limit for him.”
On the Knicks’ championship run:
“It’s just special the way they came back, never gave up.”
On the Knicks’ championship:
“It’s a great moment to be a New York sports fan. I’m proud of that group. All they talked about after they won last night is how they played for each other.”
On the Mets finding inspiration in the Knicks:
“Even the owner said it. We know what it’s like. We don’t need more inspiration, but something like that, seeing them win, of course it motivates us as players and is inspiring. Want to win here and when you have history being made in this city like they did, it gives you goose bumps and gets you excited for the ‘what ifs.’”
On speaking with Tom Thibodeau:
“I talked to Thibs yesterday, and the first thing we talked about was he didn’t have any kind of malice in his heart. He didn’t have any kind of hatred. He was so happy for the guys. He was just really so proud of the guys and what they accomplished.”
On Thibodeau’s humility:
“I was like, ‘Man, that’s just love. To have that humility and just knowing that you trained these players and have put so much into them, and know that they finally made that final leap to really take the top and go to the championship of New York City.’”
On the Knicks’ championship:
“Just to see that team and the way they came together, the amazing run they went on in the postseason, that team will be immortalized. Just excited for them and excited for a lot of people in New York that it’s been a long time coming.”
On lessons from the Knicks’ run:
“It’s just a great example of a team that’s certainly faced more than their share of adversity and questions and all that. I think their mental toughness and championship mettle ended up winning the day and obviously getting them to the top of the mountain this year. Fun to see that. Because each one of those guys, to varying degrees, went through rough moments, getting beat on at different points for different reasons. And they all persevered through it. It’s not an easy thing to do. That’s why they’re champions.”
On New York after the championship:
“So happy for my real NYC people. People who took care of me when I played and the people who do now. Salute. You deserve to be champions and included! You make NYC what it is! Thank you!”
On congratulating Spike Lee:
“This may shock MANY, but I have to give my Brotha @officialspikelee his flowers, he’s been around for the Good-Bad-Ugly. Congrats Spike.”
On the possibility of a Jalen Brunson statue:
“I can’t make that promise yet. I can’t promise. Thursday parade. That’s how we’re starting. That’s not how we’re ending.”
On the Knicks’ championship:
“For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment. Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience and heart — just like the five boroughs itself. New Yorkers have cheered for our team from packed living rooms in the Bronx to watch parties in Brooklyn, from bars in Queens to Staten Island to Manhattan, and Madison Square Garden itself. Now it’s time for our city to celebrate together. Bing bong.”
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