Full Breakdown
Knicks Celebrate ESPYS Best Team Honor After Historic 2026 Championship
7/16/2026, 1:12:45 PM
Championship Triumph and ESPYS Recognition
On July 15, 2026, the New York Knicks were named Best Team at the 2026 ESPYS, held at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City’s Lincoln Center. The award came roughly one month after the franchise secured its first NBA championship in 53 years with a Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Knicks captain Jalen Brunson also received the ESPY for Best NBA Player during the same ceremony. The team’s roster on stage included OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Miles “Deuce” McBride, and Karl-Anthony Towns, while rapper Fat Joe, a noted Knicks superfan, joined them after the award presentation.
Return to Glory: First Title in 53 Years
The 2026 championship ended a half-century title drought for the Knicks, a milestone that has been highlighted throughout the ESPY night. The victory, described by the organization as an “epic playoff run,” marked a dramatic turnaround from a December slump in which the team “weren’t playing our best basketball,” according to Towns’s remarks. The championship and subsequent ESPY honor have been framed as a celebration of both on-court performance and the support of New York fans.
Team Reflections on Stage
In his acceptance speech, Towns thanked the fans and the organization, emphasizing that the trophy symbolized the city’s love and the team’s perseverance through earlier challenges. Brunson added a light-hearted comment about a missing teammate’s invitation, while also acknowledging his own ESPY win for Best NBA Player. The collective remarks highlighted gratitude toward the fan base, the organization’s belief in the squad, and optimism for future success, encapsulated in Towns’s closing line, “Knicks in five.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Thank you so much,” — Karl-Anthony Towns
- “You may see someone is missing up here.” — Karl-Anthony Towns
- “I want to say thank you to the ESPYS for pulling Josh Hart’s invite.” — Jalen Brunson
- “This award shows the love of the New York... the love of New York made this whole journey and this whole accomplishment of winning a championship worth it, so thank you, New York, thank you to the fans, thank you to the organization for giving us this chance and believing in us,” — Karl-Anthony Towns
- “Knicks in five.” — Karl-Anthony Towns
