Category: NBA

One of the great joys about being a fan of a team is sharing the experience with other fans of your team. That is why many of us wear our team’s gear around town – a “Go Spurs” greeting from a total stranger who sees your Spurs hat means that the two of you are no longer total strangers, at least for that moment. And that moment can becomes minutes, or more, if the two of you turn that greeting into a conversation. Most of you reading this live much closer to San Antonio than I do here in LA, so my “Go Spurs” encounters are few and far between – and that much more special. Last winter I had one on a bus coming back from skiing in Park City with my super-daughter. I also still remember one in Cancun, Mexico where a guy in a #21 Duncan jersey was thrilled to run into someone who wrote for Pounding the Rock.

That shared connection is why fans gather at each other’s houses, or at outdoor watch parties, or at the home stadium when the team is on the road to watch on the Jumbotron. Of course, best of all is being at the game itself, even if some participants in the front row spend the game looking down at their phones, or even worse, fall asleep in their luxury suites. If all goes extremely well, all the fans of one special team get to gather one last time for that season with a victory parade.

Knicks fans were the lucky ones who had their victory parade. Apparently, two million fans attended the parade. Two million! There were more people at the Knicks’ victory parade than the entire population of the cities of twenty-five of the NBA’s thirty teams.

Perhaps because New York is the media capital of the country, the media was all-in celebrating the Knicks victory, whether on the national nightly news, morning talk shows, or late night TV. Of course, that the Knicks had not won since 1973 mattered too. That was a long time ago: The top song of 1973 was “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn. The highest-grossing movies were The Exorcist and The Sting, and the most popular TV shows were All in the Family and The Waltons. Put another way, the car I drove in law school was a used maroon 1974 Chevy Vega.

That car had not been built the last time the Knicks won the NBA Championship. Neither that car or I attended the Knicks’ victory parade.

I watched the games at home with friends, family and food – all very good, except for the outcomes of four of the five games. But while those outcomes, and the overall outcome, were very much not good, sharing those games with others brought the same sense of camaraderie that sports fans love to share. Long-time Laker season-ticket holder Mike jumped on my Spurs bandwagon early, and sat next to me for the games talking out what “we” (the Spurs) need to do in the next quarter, the next possession of (after a loss) the next game.

Two women who sit near my office at work would say “Go Spurs” as I left early to get home in time for that night’s tip-off – and we all then avoided talking about Game Four until very late in the afternoon the day after. A long-time friend called me near the end of the series to tell me that even though his mother and the rest of his family were from New York and Knicks fans, he was rooting for my Spurs because he wanted me to be happy. That meant a lot.

Many post-series conversations with sympathetic friends ended with how bright the Spurs’ future is. And while we all recognize that the future is not promised to anyone, I do like the “future is bright” mindset. Known as The Lil Ol Band from Texas, ZZ Top sings:

Things are going great, and they’re only getting better
I’m doing all right, getting good grades
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades
I gotta wear shades, I gotta wear shades
I gotta wear shades

Other end-of-season thoughts

• The outcome drives the narrative. Jalen Brunson was an easy choice for Finals MVP.  And people are praising him as a “winner”, with the Knicks’ championship as proof.  But the outcome drives the narrative. Most would agree that two plays that turned the Finals were Victor Wembanyama’s pass to Stephon Castle’s back at the end of Game Two and OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in to win Game Four. Both of those came off misses by the Finals MVP — Brunson missed a runner with the score tied that led to Victor’s rebound, followed by his disastrous turnover.  People forget that after the ensuing foul, Brunson bricked the first free throw before making the second to give the Spurs the chance to win the game on their last shot — which would have made Brunson the goat for the missed free throw.  On the OG tip-in, Brunson fired up a long three-pointer that missed. If that brick had gone anywhere else than the perfect volleyball-like set for OG, Brunson’s ill-advised three would have been the story. And if both of those plays had gone differently, the Spurs would have headed back to San Antonio with a 3-1 lead, with all the momentum and confidence to finish the Finals at home.  But those plays broke the other way, resulting in Brunson rightfully winning the Finals MVP.  The outcome drives the narrative. 
• A bit more on Brunson.  His output in Game Five was historical, scoring 45 of the Knicks’ 94 points.  He took 27 shots and had 3 assists.  (I have played with guys like that.) Brunson’s game joins the list of all-time memorable close-out performances.  These include Magic Johnson’s 42 point, 15 rebound and 7 assist game in his rookie year against a powerful 76ers team led by Julius “Dr. J” Irving; Michael Jordan’s 45 point game against the Utah Jazz in the Bulls’ 87-86 clincher in 1998, including MJ’s game-winning shot over Bryon Russell (after MJ subtly shoved Russell away); Tim Duncan’s 2003 near quadruple double (21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks in Game Six against the New Jersey Nets, no, they have not always been the Brooklyn Nets), which the Spurs won by the ugly score of 88-77; and most recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 50 points (out of a team total of 105), 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, on 16 for 25 from the floor, and his stunning 17 for 19 on free throws by, frankly, a bad free throw shooter.  In honor of the Knicks, let’s also include Walt Frazier’s Game Seven win over the Lakers in 1970: 36 points, 19 assists (an NBA Finals Game 7 record), 7 boards, 5 steals (unofficial), 12-for-17 from the field and 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. 
• Now we need to consider the elephant in the room, or more appropriately perhaps, the giraffe in the room. Have NBA fans soured a bit on young Victor Wembanyama? (Spurs fans have not.)  The two million Knicks fans at the victory parade spent the last two weeks rooting against Victor. As mentioned above, the New York media is also very influential.  And the narrative of Victor shoving little Brunson away ignored Brunson’s grab of the jersey which led to the shove. Coming after the elbow of Naz Reid (again after several uncalled fouls), the inadvertent elbow to KAT’s neck and the non-called “landing zone” foul on Brunson. Victor leading the team off the court without congratulating the winners did not sit well with many, including this ex-coach. Victor remains a thoughtful, funny, intense, fascinating and extremely compelling and competitive young man.  I hope he does some soul-searching about both his game and his reaction to frustration.  I am sure that Spurs legends, including Pop and the Great Duncan will be more than happy to assist. 
• Often a game, or a series, just comes down to making shots.  In the Finals, the Knicks’ top four scorers (Brunson, OG, KAT and Bridges) combined to shoot 41% from three.  The Spurs’ top four scorers (Victor, Harper, Castle and Fox) combined to shoot 27% from three. Yikes.  Even with good shooting from Vassel and Champagnie, the Spurs still only shot 34% from three as a team — worse than the 40% by notorious bad shooter Josh Hart. in the Finals.

Some commentators have compared the 2025-2026 Knicks to the 2014 Redemption Finals Spurs’ championship.  The comparison is based on (1) both teams “putting  it all together” for a magical 5-game Finals victory and (2) a big scoring margin throughout the playoffs. From my recap of the Redemption Finals in 2014:

“After winning the NBA Championship Sunday night, several Spurs went out of their way to say that this wonderful season, and the way they dominated the Finals, made last year’s loss OK. Essentially, last year’s defeat gave them a common pain. That common pain bound the Spurs together in a common goal. They decided to do everything they could to make this season’s ending different. Perhaps included in that was the desire to play so well that the Spurs would not lose on the sort of freak plays that led to the Game Six loss last year – which means not allowing close games. As a result of that common goal, this year’s Spurs crushed teams in the playoffs. It takes 16 wins to become NBA Champions. In 12 of the Spurs 16 wins, the margin of victory was 15 or more. The Spurs essentially eliminated the margin of error that leads to close losses. One missed shot, funky bounce or bad call (or one Ray Allen step back three from the corner) doesn’t matter as much when you are winning by 20 points.”

I would love to see the 2026-27 Spurs take that same attitude. This season, Spurs and their fans really enjoyed the journey, but the team just missed reaching the destination.  Next season, the Spurs hope to again enjoy the journey, and then reach the destination.  

Finally, as is my tradition, like “One Shining Moment” at the end of March Madness, I will end this season with a list of Favorite Memories. I hope these Favorite Memories will sustain me (and you) during the barren wasteland of the NBA offseason — some from the distant past, some from the recent present. Upon further reflection, many of these are both Favorite Memories and things I look forward to seeing again when NBA play begins anew.

• Michael Cooper in a defensive stance,
• The Joker triple doubling,
• The late great Jerry West dribbling hard right and pulling up for a clutch jumper,
• The Spurs Beautiful Gaming the Miami Heat off the floor in the 2014 Redemption Finals,
• Robert Horry spotting up in the last minute of a playoff game,
• DannyGreen!! snuffing out an opponent’s fast break,
• Wilt finger-rolling,
• Dylan Harper attacking the hoop, finishing with either hand,
• Steph Curry sprinting around the court, using multiple screens, looking for a split-second opening to catch, shoot and make a three — from distance!,
• Magic Johnson running the middle dishing this way, wait, no, that way,
• Patty Mills sprinting over to help a teammate to their feet after taking a charge,
• Rick Barry under-handing,
• Giannis Euro-stepping,
• The Oui Frenchman tear-dropping,
• Dirk step-backing,
• My Man Manu Ginobili dunking all over Bosh,
• Earl the Pearl spin-dribbling,
• A Shooter heating up, with the crowd joining in,
• Stephon Castle defending,
• Pistol Pete behind-the-backing,
• The Great Duncan blocking a shot, controlling the ball, and throwing the long bounce outlet pass,
• Dr. J dunking,
• Victor pointing at the rim for a lob without needing to use the words “throw it up there”,
• And in honor of the NBA champion New York Knicks and their two million fans, enjoying each other’s company one last time as the long season ends, celebrating.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: If the Suns stay at 47 in the draft, they’re most likely going to get a developmental player with identifiable flaws. What player flaw would be the biggest red flag to you?

Ashton: This is a player question, and the easy answer is size or ability to see the court. The NBA combine has taken the measurements, but many of the top picks opted not to play in the 5-on-5 play.

Which leads me to my next point, the answer to the question. The biggest flaw is the player’s character. Yeah, they had the interviews with mealy-mouthed or just plain stupid questions, but is the player just a little too big for their britches? I am talking about the type that thinks it can make an impact on the league immediately, when very few rookies or even second-year players can. You have to be humble and hungry enough to organically grow within a system. And when that system eventually trades you, shrug it off and realize you are making serious money as an adult playing a child’s game.

Voita: I’ve spent the past week reviewing prospect videos, looking at scouting reports, and formulating who I want the Suns to take if they stay at 47 or decide to move up. And without a doubt, the biggest red flag to me is basketball IQ and the ability to process the game.

I think that’s what has made Oso Ighodaro so valuable, his ability to process and react. He understands what’s happening around him and knows how to make the right decision. That’s a skill that translates.

When you get down to the second round, you’re going to find players who might not be the most athletic. They might not shoot well. They might be liabilities on defense. They might not have ideal size. But if they don’t have the ability to process the game, everything else is a wasted skill. Athleticism only takes you so far. Size only takes you so far. Shooting only takes you so far. If you can’t read what’s happening on the court and react accordingly, those tools become much harder to maximize.

That’s why, as I’ve gone through these prospects, basketball IQ has become the trait I value most. Because if a player can process the game, there’s at least a foundation to build on.

Rod: There are some red flags that I’d say are more positional than others (ie, a center who is a poor rebounder is much more of a problem than a PG who is a poor rebounder), but overall, I’m going with low BBIQ. Unfortunately, that is also one of the things that can’t really be measured, and teams will just have to estimate based on past, pre-NBA performance and interviews. A player can have some of the greatest skills in the world, but if he can’t figure out how to best use them, he’s not going to be a strong asset to the team.

Q2: If the Suns were to trade one of Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale in the offseason, which would you prefer that they keep?

Ashton: Let me think, if I say trade Grayson Allen, then all the Duke fans on the board will hound me. If I say trade Royce O’Neale, then all the “size matters” fans will hound me.

Put me in the category that “size matters” (it fits 😉 and keep RO. GA is just too often injured for my taste, though he has the clearer upside. But if I am being honest, with all the trade speculation going on, I actually put a higher percentage that both will be packaged for some unnamed asset. Maybe the desert heat is getting to me.

Voita: I’d prefer to keep Grayson Allen. Perhaps that’s me being contrarian. I still think he has a lot of good basketball left in him, and his skill set is one the Suns could use coming off the bench. Yes, he can shoot, but he can also facilitate and get to the rim. There’s more to his game than simply standing behind the three-point line waiting for kick-outs.

I also don’t know if I can go through another season of watching Royce O’Neale become a turnstile on defense.

If Royce is gone, there’s more opportunity for Rasheer Fleming to earn starting minutes and work through everything that comes with that role. That’s another point in Grayson’s favor in my book. Yes, he makes more money. But if you keep him around and he has a good season, he becomes a much more valuable asset next offseason. That’s why, if I’m choosing between the two, I’m keeping Grayson.

Rod: I’d keep Royce over Grayson for two reasons. First, he’s on a cheaper contract. Second, he’s much less injury-prone. Although I think Grayson is the more talented player overall, the biggest difference between the two is simply availability to me.

Q3: I read some speculation that, unless Fleming, Dunn, and/or Maluach prove ready to start this fall, the Suns’ starting lineup could be Booker, Green, Goodwin, Brooks, and Williams (or Ighodaro). What are your thoughts on this starting lineup?

Ashton: I am good with it. I stated last week in this space to just run it back and keep it below the repeater tax. Of course, someone has to go. That may very well be CG (that sucks) or Mark Williams, which makes Oso the starter at center. Meh, but it is what it is. I would prefer the veteran, but I think he is not taking the qualifying offer and is taking his skills to another team that is willing to pay more.

Do the Suns lose more games? ESPN has projected as such (10th in the West). This should not surprise anyone, as that is about where I have them as well. Anything above that is another good and surprising year.

Voita: It’s not ideal, but I would much rather have that lineup than one that starts Collin Gillespie.

Goodwin might not have the ideal size for the position, but you’re also not asking him to facilitate the offense the way you would with Gillespie. That’s important because it prevents you from once again running out three-guard lineups, something we’ve seen enough of over the past few seasons. If Goodwin is your starting small forward, he at least gives you an added presence on the glass. Rebounding matters, and that’s one area where he can provide value despite being undersized.

So while I wouldn’t call it the ideal starting lineup, and I’d still love to see Dillon Brooks playing small forward next season, it’s a lineup I find acceptable. Especially if the goal is to continue to develop Rasheer Fleming. The more minutes Fleming gets at power forward, the more opportunities he’ll have to work through the growing pains that come with the position. If the organization truly believes he’s part of the future, then those reps matter.

Rod: First off, I hope the person who wrote that was wrong. As much as I like Goodie, I think his best role on this team is coming off the bench. My preferred starters (for now) would be Book, Green, Brooks, Fleming, and Williams (if he’s still with the team). If Williams is no longer on the roster, Oso certainly has the most experience, and I wouldn’t mind him starting, but I’d want to see a LOT of Khaman off the bench too…like a near 50/50 split in court time for the two of them, with the one playing the best that night finishing.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On June 20, 1969, the Suns officially signed Connie Hawkins as a free agent after the Suns had won a league-sponsored coin toss over the Seattle SuperSonics to determine who got the rights to him. Hawkins had been playing for the ABA’s Pittsburgh Pipers the previous season after having been unjustly banned from the NBA. Hawkins had the ban rescinded after suing the NBA, which then lifted it and settled out of court.

On June 20, 1993, the Suns were down 3 games to 2 in the NBA Finals but led the Chicago Bulls 98-96 in the final seconds of the 4th quarter. The Bulls had the ball and, although Westphal’s sole instruction on the play was for none of the players to double-team any of the Bulls (even Michael Jordan), Danny Ainge left John Paxson to try and either steal the ball or foul Horace Grant, who had missed all five of his shot attempts in the game and wasn’t a good crunch-time free-throw shooter. Grant saw Paxson alone 25 feet from the basket and fired a perfect pass, and Paxson then made a three-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, giving the Bulls a 99-98 lead. A last-second shot attempt by Phoenix’s Kevin Johnson was blocked by Grant, and the Bulls won the series 4-2.

On June 20, 2021, the Suns defeated the LA Clippers 120-114 in the first game of the Western Conference Finals. In this game, Devin Booker got his first-ever triple-double (regular season or playoffs) with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.

On June 21, 1972, KTAR radio hired Al McCoy to call Phoenix Suns games beginning with the 1972-73 season, replacing Joe McConnell, who had called the Suns for 2 years. McCoy was well-known in the Valley (since 1957), and previously was the voice of the Phoenix Roadrunners hockey.

On June 21, 1987, the Suns traded Ed Pinckney and a 1988 2nd round draft pick to the Sacramento Kings for Eddie Johnson. In his 3 and a half season with Phoenix, EJ averaged 18.4 ppg, averaged 36.3% from three, and won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 1988-89. He was the first of four Suns players to win the award. The others were Danny Manning (1997-98), Rodney Rogers (1999-00), and Leandro Barbosa (2006-07).

On June 21, 2018, the Suns drafted Deandre Ayton with the 1st pick of the 2018 NBA Draft. They later drafted Zhaire Smith with the 16th pick and promptly traded Smith and a 2021 1st round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Mikal Bridges, whom the Sixers had selected earlier with the 10th pick.

On June 24, 1998, 2nd-year player Steve Nash was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Pat Garrity, Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells, and a 1999 1st-round draft pick (Shawn Marion was later selected).

On June 25, 1993, after 5 seasons with Phoenix, the Suns released 34-year-old power forward Tom Chambers. Chambers was a three-time All-Star with the Sun, averaged 20.6 points (7th best All-Time) and 6.6 rebounds per game, and his 7,817 point total ranks 12th on the list of All-Time Suns scorers. His 27.17 ppg average in 1989-90 is still the best single-season ppg average in franchise history.

On June 25, 2015, the Suns drafted Devin Booker in the 1st round (13th pick) of the 2015 NBA Draft.

On June 26, 1996, the Phoenix Suns used the 15th pick in the NBA Draft to select Steve Nash. Upon hearing the draft announcement, Suns fans booed in disapproval of the (then) relatively unknown player. This was because, despite his impressive college accomplishments, Nash had not played in one of the major college conferences.

Important Future Dates

June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN)
June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN)
June 30 – Teams can begin negotiations with all free agents
July 1 – Official start of the 2026-27 league year and moratorium period
July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin
July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas
Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open

While this summer has long been circled as one of change for the Lakers, the list of players they’re interested in retaining from last year’s roster is growing.

Even on the heels of a second straight 50-win season, the playoffs made it clear the Lakers, as currently constructed, are not close to contending for a title. It’s with that in mind that an eyebrow might be raised at the multiple reports now indicating the team has interest in bringing players back from last year’s team.

In a recent article for ESPN, Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers are interested in re-signing two guards, and playoff heroes, from last season.

The Lakers are interested in retaining Marcus Smart and sharpshooter Luke Kennard, sources told ESPN.

This comes a handful of days after Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that the team also has interest in retaining Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, too.

Now, all of this interest doesn’t mean they have to bring these players back. And it’s entirely possible, and perhaps likely, that their interest is dependent on other things happening or in the right situation. Maybe they have interest in bringing back Smart if he picks up his option. Or maybe they have interest in Kennard if they miss on some other targets first.

In a vacuum, there are plenty of reasons to bring these players back. All of them, at some point or another, had a moment this season or even during the playoffs that helped the purple and gold win games.

Specifically, when it comes to Smart and Kennard, they stepped up in the first round against the Rockets. Kennard was unbelievable in the Game 1 win while Smart’s experience was ever-apparent and valuable throughout the first round.

At the same time, both were exposed as the postseason went along. Kennard became less effective with each passing game. The limitations of Smart’s game and the downsides of him being forced into such a prominent role were readily apparent against the Thunder, too.

Both are positive role players, but both have clear ceilings on how much they can contribute when the games really start mattering. And that’s the problem present for the role players the Lakers reportedly have interest in retaining.

How many of them can you envision playing in an NBA Finals? Or even the Western Conference Finals? That can’t be the sole requirement for players the team signs, but it has to be part of the calculation, and not an insignificant part of it.

It’s unlikely the Lakers are interested in bringing them all back as that would go against the whole idea of reshaping the roster this summer. But there should be some strong discussions about how many of them are worth re-signing.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Brooklyn Nets are looking to add some new, young, talent in a few days. It’s only fair that they lost a dash of it this past week. After all, they were not only the youngest team in the NBA this past season. Sean Marks has said they were the youngest roster on any NBA roster in 20 years!

E.J. Liddell, who appeared in 26 games for Brooklyn during the 2025-26 season, officially signed a two-year deal with Greek club Aris B.C. who made a big deal of signing the 6’6” 25-year-old. Having signed a two-way deal with the Nets this past autumn, he was set to be a restricted free agent this offseason. Instead, he’s opted to hit the road early.

“Thank you Brooklyn and Long Island for another year in this league,” Liddell wrote in an Instagram post in mid April. “It’s been a year full of growth and lessons that I will carry for the rest of my life. One thing I can say I learned is that through habits & discipline you forge a character rich with courage and peace.”

He’s unlikely to be the only one of the younger Nets from last season to move on. There were reports this past week from two NBA cap mavens, Keith Smith and Yossi Gozlan, that the Nets will likely pass on team options for Malachi Smith (Liddell’s high school and NBA teammate) as well as Day-Ron Sharpe, Ziaire Williams and Josh Minott, saving cap space but retaining their free agent rights, which would permit them to re-sign or even extend them later in the Summer. Expect to see word on those decisions days after the second round takes place at Barclays on Wednesday. Next Sunday is the deadline for Sharpe and Williams’ team options, a day later it’s Minott’s turn.

Timing, as we’re about to find out again, plays a critical part in free agency, who can sign when and how. Gozlan, for example suggested the Nets could use the $9.4 million MLE which works out to $29.5 million over three, to sign Sharpe. Liddell, being older and with less NBA experience, is different. Similarly, we don’t know what the Nets are planning with fellow two-way, the 27-year-old Tyson Etienne.

The New Orleans Pelicans originally drafted Liddell out of Ohio State in 2022. He bounced from Atlanta and then to Phoenix as a portion of the Dejounte Murray trade. He spent the 2024 season with the Chicago Bulls organization as a two-way before linking up Brooklyn this past season.

While the Nets likely never saw Liddell as a long-term building like the other youngsters they currently have rostered, he had a handful of inspiring moments during his Brooklyn tenure. Starting all of the team’s final five games this past season, he averaged 18.4/5.8/1.8 and hit a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds on April 9th vs Indiana.

The Nets have plenty of flexibility — there’s that word again — in building the 2026-27 roster. To begin with if they do decline team options on those four, they will have around $50 million in cap space to work with. As noted they have the Room MLE and a lot of smaller deals. They currently have 15 players under contract at the moment, including seven of whom are likely to be on rookie deals making a total of $35.1 million or around 21.3% of the salary cap.

Over the last five years, the Knicks have only made six draft picks. They’ve routinely kicked the can down the road for future flexibility and trade pick after pick to bolster a squad that eventually went on to win an NBA championship.

Four of those six draft picks came in 2024. Pacôme Dadiet was picked 25th, Tyler Kolek was picked 34th, and Kevin McCullar Jr. was picked 56th. As the draft came to a close, the Knicks decided to go with another international player, this time a big man, to provide depth.

Little did they know he’d be getting important minutes in the NBA Finals in Year 2.

Ariel Hukporti was born on April 12, 2002, in Stralsund, Germany, on the shore of the Baltic Sea to Togolese parents. Like many European kids, his first love was soccer, but he quickly outgrew the game due to his rapid growth as a kid and his displeasure with being stuck on defense. Standing nearly six feet tall before even turning 10, he started playing basketball at age 11.

He played with several youth teams and gained interest from several premier Bundesliga clubs, parlaying that into representing Germany on an international stage at the FIBA U16 and U18 European Championships from 2017-19. In 2018, he won a gold medal at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament, a biannual tournament that’s treated as a U18 World Championship due to FIBA’s lack of a tournament of their own. He started his professional career that summer, signing with Riesen Ludwigsburg.

He spent his two years there as a bench player, slowly earning more time in 2019-20 while gaining notoriety by heading to America to play at the 2020 Basketball Without Borders camp in Chicago during All-Star Weekend, winning MVP of a camp that also consisted of Josh Giddey, Bennedict Mathurin, and Joshua Primo.

During the pandemic, Hukporti decided to leave Germany to sign with Nevėžis Kėdainiai out in Lithuania for the 2020-21 season. He briefly considered entering the 2021 draft as an early entry, but withdrew during the process.

After a year there, he went to Australia to join Melbourne United of the NBL. All of these press releases talk about Hukporti as this big NBA prospect, and at age 19, he was in a great situation to go out and put himself firmly on NBA Draft radars with a strong year in the NBL.

He averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds across 27 games in his first year there, but disaster struck in the following preseason, where he tore his Achilles tendon. Sidelined for a whole season, he was put behind the 8-ball when he returned in 2023-24, but he improved considerably and finally entered the 2024 NBA Draft.

Being 22 with a recent Achilles injury, his stock was low, nearly slipping all the way out of the second round. In the chaos of Leon Rose’s wheeling and dealing on draft night, the Knicks traded the No. 51 pick for $1 million and the No. 58 pick, which became Hukporti.

As an older prospect, there was a degree of expecting a high enough floor that he would be able to play relatively quickly. He impressed in Summer League heading into his rookie year, but entered fourth (fifth?) on the depth chart. Only being on a two-way deal didn’t help.

Fortunately for him, injuries to Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa opened an opportunity for him to get some run, as he and another former No. 58 pick, Jericho Sims, would compete for the backup center spot. While he played in garbage time in the first two games, his first chance to play real minutes came on October 28 against the Cavs, when Karl-Anthony Towns battled foul trouble. His first real highlight was sadly erased by a ref’s whistle.

He’d get another chance in mid-November against the Nets, playing 30 minutes with Towns injured and putting up 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and four blocks.

Outside of those early cameos that put him on the radar, his chances would be limited. Achiuwa returned in November, and despite Sims being traded at the deadline, the impending return of Robinson was always going to put a cap on his playing time. A torn meniscus in late February ended his season, but he had turned heads in a way no other rookie on the team did.

Entering 2025-26, Hukporti was firmly entrenched as the team’s third center and even earned the Opening Night start in October due to injuries to Robinson and Josh Hart. Throughout the season, he’d be the next man up on back-to-backs and bide his time in blowouts. He had occasional flashes, including a 6-point, 7-rebound, 3-block performance against Orlando in early December and an 8-point, 16-rebound, 4-block performance against Atlanta in January.

His best performances were usually reserved for garbage time or in blowout wins, but he was tasked with staying ready. Throughout the Knicks’ playoff run, they had to battle constant foul-trouble concerns with Towns facing guys like Joel Embiid and Victor Wembanyama, and Robinson’s free-throw woes, which allowed Hukporti to enter 10 games and play 75 total minutes, ranking 11th on the roster.

He was +22 in 17 minutes in Game 1 against Philly. He played a seven-minute stint in a fully competitive Game 2. He didn’t play much against Cleveland or in the first three games against San Antonio, but he was needed soon enough.

In Game 4, KAT picked up two fouls in under a minute. He would be limited to just nine minutes in the first half, forcing Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan to pick up the slack, with Robinson not conditioned to play extended minutes. His 3:27 stint wasn’t productive, but the team won his minutes in a horrendous first half that gave way to immortality.

In the potential clincher in Game 5, Hukporti was again called upon in the third quarter with Towns back in foul trouble and the looming threat of the Hack-a-Mitch. With the Knicks down 14 in the third quarter and in danger of fully punting the game away, the second-year center flew in from out of nowhere to swat Luke Kornet at the rim.

Did that possession change immediately result in something? No, but the lead never grew to the 16-point mark it would’ve reached if Kornet dunked that. It was the first big momentum shift in a second-half comeback that will go down in franchise history.

That’s what Hukporti’s contribution was to this championship. He always stayed ready. He found a way to make an impact when needed for brief stretches in big games against big-time players. That’s all that’s asked for out of your third-string center, and with Robinson’s pending free agency and second apron concerns, maybe he’ll parlay it into future playing time.

Congrats, Huk!

–

(P&T will be doing player-by-player article tributes over the next few weeks to commemorate the special team that ended our long, half-century nightmare)

Depending on how the board falls, Tennessee center Felix Okpara could be available when New York is on the clock late in the 2026 NBA Draft. Should the Knicks consider him with their 55th selection?

The Basics

• School: Tennessee (transferred from Ohio State)
• Position: Center
• Height: 6’10”
• Weight: 237 lbs
• Age: 22 (April 20, 2004)
• 2025-26 Stats: 8.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 59.7% FG, 63.5% FT
• Projected Draft Range: Late second round to undrafted

The Numbers

Okpara spent four seasons carving out a clear identity as a defensive center. He began his career at Ohio State, transferred to Tennessee for his junior season, and became one of the Volunteers’ most reliable interior defenders during their run to the Elite Eight, earning a place in last season’s SEC All-Defense team.

His box-score production wasn’t pleasing to the spreadsheet, but his role explains everything about it. Okpara averaged 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a senior while shooting 61.1% inside the arc. Across four college seasons, he averaged 6.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, always working as a rim protector, screener, lob threat and defensive backbone.

Skills That Pay the Bills

• Rim Protection: Okpara’s best NBA skill is his ability to contest shots. He has the length, timing and verticality to bother drivers and force tough finishes around the basket.
• Pick-and-Roll Defense: He is not purely a drop-coverage big. Okpara can hedge, step out, slide his feet and survive in space. His mobility gives coaches more coverage options than the standard deep-drop center.
• Screening and Rolling: Okpara sets hard screens, uses his frame well and dives quickly to the rim. He finished 69 dunks as a senior, and his timing as a roller gives him value as a low-usage play finisher.
• Physical Tools: At roughly 6’11” with a 7’2” wingspan and a 9’4” standing reach, Okpara has real NBA center measurements. He also has a strong frame, broad shoulders and enough vertical pop to play above the rim.

Concerns

• Limited Offense: Okpara is not a scorer, shooter or creator. He has flashed some post touch, but his NBA offense will mostly come from lobs, putbacks, rim runs and dump-offs. Rings a Mitch-shaped bell?
• Passing Limitations: His career 56 assists to 129 turnovers is a concern. He can keep the ball moving in simple situations, but he is not a short-roll playmaker or high-post hub right now.
• Pump-Fake Discipline: Okpara can leave his feet too early. That matters against NBA guards and bigs who will bait him into fouls or force him out of position.
• Defensive Composure: He has the tools to defend multiple coverages, but his decision-making is not always consistent. He can get too perimeter-oriented, lose rebounding position or react instead of reading.
• Free Throw Shooting: His touch remains questionable. He shot 63.5% from the line as a senior and has never shown enough shooting growth to project real spacing value.

The Knicks Fit

Okpara’s fit with the Knicks depends almost entirely on what happens with Mitchell Robinson’s free agency.

If Robinson stays and signs a mid-to-long-term deal, Okpara becomes harder to justify with real draft capital, even with the late-second pick. New York would already have Karl-Anthony Towns as the starting center and Robinson as the defensive anchor off the bench for at least the next three or four years while the contending window remains open. That leaves little room for another non-shooting rim-running big man unless the Knicks simply want some developmental dude in the pipeline.

However, if Robinson leaves, Okpara becomes more interesting. He would not replace Robinson’s rebounding and instincts, let alone his playoff experience, but he would give New York a cheap, young center who understands the job description: protect the rim, screen hard, finish lobs and avoid getting into trouble or committing dumb mistakes.

Okpara’s appeal is that his role is extremely defined. Mike Brown could use him as a situational drop or hedge big, pair him with strong perimeter defenders, and let him focus on defense-first minutes while developing with Westchester, then move him up if/when needed.

The problem is obvious, and it’s that Okpara’s offensive limitations are severe, if not making him unplayable at the level the Knicks would require him to perform. He would not space the floor like Henri Veesaar, pass like Joshua Jefferson, or bring the same physical rebounding profile as Tarris Reed Jr. or Morez Johnson Jr., although obviously all of those prospects are ranked higher and expected to leave the board no later than within the first 30 picks.

NBA Comparison

• Best-Case Comparison: Daniel Gafford (Vertical rim runner, shot blocker, hard screener, and low-usage finisher)
• Median Outcome: Jericho Sims (Athletic backup center who screens, rolls, rebounds, and finishes plays)
• Low-End Outcome: Bruno Fernando (Physical reserve big with tools, but limited feel and disastrous offensive output)

The Verdict

Draft him at 55th: Okpara is not a first-round option for the Knicks, and No. 31 would be too rich. New York might know Robinson’s decision before the draft and be desperate for a backup with a traditional defensive center profile, but even then, it’s just too much. At the end of the second round, if that’s the feeling and the Knicks are in love with Okpara, then better grab him than risk losing him to another team with the last five picks or once he becomes a UDFA. Okpara does not bring enough shooting, passing, or offensive versatility to justify any kind of heavy investment.

Read all our draft profiles here.

Go Knicks!

Jalen Brunson’s “SVU” dream is alive and well.

The Knicks star capped off his NBA Finals MVP performance by saying afterward that he wanted to nab a guest star role on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” alongside his friend Mariska Hargitay.

And while the actor is a huge fan of Brunson, her “Law & Order” colleague Christopher Meloni is also on board with the Knicks star getting a shot on the show.

Meloni, who plays detective Elliot Stabler, told TMZ on Friday he was “absolutely” supportive of the idea.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but he’s a world champion, he can do whatever the hell he wants,” Meloni said.

The comments come after Hargitay’s presence during the Knicks’ championship run, as she cheered on Brunson and the Knicks as they won the team’s first title since 1973.

Hargitay, who plays detective Olivia Benson on “SVU,” has developed a close friendship with Brunson because of his fandom of the show.

Brunson previously admitted that he looks for her during Knicks home games, and said on the “Richard Jefferson Show” that he does “love her to death [and] she knows it.”

Hargitay and Brunson also shared a touching moment after the Knicks’ incredible Game 4 comeback against San Antonio.

“I love you so much, I’m so happy!” Hargitay said as they shared a hug.

Hargitay and millions of other Knicks fans were able to celebrate a championship a few days later as New York once again erased an early San Antonio lead to win 94-90 in Game 5.

Brunson saved his best performance of the series for last, as he scored 45 points to get the Knicks over the line in a low-scoring affair in Texas.

The All-Star guard has forever etched himself in New York Sports lore, but an “SVU” guest appearance would only add to his growing star even more.

The Knicks just finished off a season in which they ended a 53-year long championship drought by hoisting the Larry O'Brian Trophy after beating the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1. 

They'll now look to defend their title next year and will do so by adding some young talent to the roster in this year's NBA Draft. New York owns the No. 24 pick, as well as the No. 31 pick (via the Washington Wizards) and the No. 55 pick.

So, here's what the draft experts have the Knicks doing in the first round.

Isaac Trotter, CBS Sports

No. 24: PF Karim Lopez, Mexico

Lopez possesses a powerful, yoked frame and projects as a big-bodied forward who can, in theory, be a three-and-D threat. Both the jumper and the defense are a work in progress, but the good thing for the Knicks is that they have time to wait to see if the potential can turn into production. New York would be a strong landing spot because Lopez wouldn't be overextended.

Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report

No. 24: C Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

The Knicks hadn't even enjoyed their championship parade yet when team governor James Dolan warned of possible spending restrictions this summer. If Mitchell Robinson didn't feel like a major flight risk in the afterglow of that title run, the bouncy big fella sure feels like one now.

Frontcourt reinforcements might be a must here, in other words, and Cenac could intrigue for the possibility of filling multiple roles within it. He lacks polish (with his skills and his approach), but he has big man size and swingman fluidity, so with the right amount of patience, he could handle minutes at the 4 and the 5 with ease.

Bryan Kalbrosky, USA Today

No. 24: G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

The Knicks have prioritized scrappy, high-motor players capable of winning the possession battle through rebounds and turnovers like Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie.

The first-team All-ACC guard was a day-one starter in the NCAA who is potentially capable of earning rotation minutes for a team like the 76ers. He averaged 23.2 points per game, recording 40 points against conference rival Virginia Tech and seven other games with at least 30 points. Okorie has earned serious first-round buzz and should intrigue teams in this range, who may like the high assist-to-turnover ratio he recorded (2.3) last season.

Jeremy Woo, ESPN

No. 24: C Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

Veesaar's perimeter shooting and sheer size should give him a path to rotation minutes relatively early and have put him in play for first-round teams that need depth at center. The Knicks are a team that probably will look at bigs, whether at this spot or later, with Robinson a pending free agent.

The Knicks also have the No. 31 pick, giving them bookend picks on this next range of the draft and a pathway to adding two potential rotation players in a cost-effective way -- a highly important task as they work to sustain a contending roster.

Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo! Sports

No. 24: F Koa Peat, Arizona

Congratulations to Knicks fans for winning the championship!  Robinson grabbed a clutch offensive rebound in the closing moments of the game, but he’s a free agent this offseason so the Knicks may need to replace him. Peat's bloodline is so loaded with offensive linemen that it's almost funny he ended up playing basketball. His father played nine NFL seasons. His uncle was a Pro Bowl tackle. Two brothers played college ball on the line. And you can absolutely see it in how he plays: powerful, physical, relentless, and it genuinely takes something special to stop him from getting to where he wants to go.

He opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona's best players all year on its way to the Final Four. Since Peat can’t shoot yet, it’ll be important that he’s paired with a floor-spacing center like Karl-Anthony Towns. Or he could serve as a small-ball center in switchable lineups. So even though Peat entered the year with top-10 hopes, it might be a blessing in disguise for him to fall to the end of the first round.

It feels like the league is waiting for the Giannis Antetokounmpo shoe to drop before the rest of the transactions can get started, so why not try to put together an offseason plan? There’s no way my 5’10” frame can fill Trajan’s Langdon’s shoes at his height of 6’4”, but I’ll do my best.

Pre-Draft

With the recent news that Detroit may be a third-team to help facilitate the Giannis deal between Milwaukee and Miami, I’m going to get in on the action. With Miami not wanting to extend Herro and Milwaukee looking to send him elsewhere, I’m happy to bring him to Detroit – for the right price.

This trade needs to be done before the draft since Miami’s pick at 13 will most likely be sent to Milwaukee, but I’m not giving up assets for a player that neither team wants. If I’m doing you the favor of taking on that player, you can have expiring contracts. Detroit does have two Milwaukee seconds – one in 2027 and one in 2029 – that the Bucks could ask in return that I would be willing to throw in if needed.

TRADE (without all the other details of a Giannis trade):

• Pistons send out:
  • Duncan Robinson ($16.8 million)
  • Caris LeVert ($14.1 million)
  • 2027 Milwaukee second and/or 2029 Milwaukee second
• Pistons receive:
  • Tyler Herro ($31 million)

Tyler Herro instantly becomes the best scorer Cade Cunningham has ever played next to throughout his career. Herro would instantly become the #2 option on offense and JB Bickerstaff could stagger Cade and Herro so one of them is on the court at all times. I believe both Cade and Jalen Duren would help Herro be the best offensive version of himself, similar to his All-Star season two years ago when he averaged 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 38% from deep on almost nine attempts per game. His defense and availability are certainly legitimate question marks, but his offense is not. While he’ll be an unrestricted free agent with one year left on his deal, Detroit holds his Bird Rights if they want to re-sign him next summer while being over the cap.

Draft

Shoutout to DBB’s very own Wes Davenport for selling me on this guy.

I’m staying put at #21 and I’m selecting Joshua Jefferson from Iowa State.

Jefferson is listed at 6’9” and 240 pounds and he’ll turn 23 years old this November. He is a four-year college player with his first two years at Saint Mary’s before playing his final two years at Iowa State. During his senior season with the Cyclones, Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. My player comparison for him is a bigger Draymond Green.

I’m a huge fan of high-IQ basketball players and Jefferson’s IQ is sky high on both ends of the floor. I’m a huge fan of guys that want to make the right play. I want guys that want to give up a good shot of their own to find a great shot for a teammate, and Jefferson certainly does that. His best skillset may be his IQ, but his passing isn’t far behind. Trajan Langdon said he wants to find additional playmaking, so why not find it from a point-forward at pick 21?

He’s incredibly strong, can switch defensively, and even shows the potential to be a tertiary ball handler. Jefferson’s biggest question mark is his shooting as his final year of 34.5% from deep on 3.1 attempts per game were both career-highs throughout his college journey, but his form looks good. There’s enough there that I feel confident Fred Vinson can turn him into a catch-and-shoot threat quickly. I believe he’s ready for NBA minutes today.

NBA Free Agency

While it’s possible Detroit can use their NTMLE of $15 million on free agents like Coby White, CJ McCollum, Ayo Dosunmu, or Anfernee Simons, I’m convinced that those kind of guys can get more money on the open market. The good news is you could still absorb a player into the NTLME via trade so that’s how I plan to use it.

TRADE:

• Pistons receive:
  • Isaiah Joe ($11.3 million)
• Thunder receive:
  • 2027 DET second
  • 2030 DET second

Isaiah Joe instantly becomes the Duncan Robinson replacement off the bench. He’s under contract for two more years at $11.3 million each year. Joe is on the outside of the OKC rotation, but he has played in 71 or more games the past four seasons while shooting more than 41% from deep throughout that same time frame. This sure seems like a Trajan Langdon type of guy based on his shooting and availability.

OKC does this deal because they already have 15 players on their roster, they have two first round draft picks, and the rookie-max extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are set to begin. This deal saves them $11 million and opens up a roster spot while getting two seconds in return. Detroit would have roughly $3.7 million left of the MLE.

Next…

TRADE:

• Pistons receive:
  • Naz Reid ($23.3 million)
• Timberwolves receive:
  • Marcus Sasser ($5.2 million)
  • Isaiah Stewart ($15 million)
  • 2027 unprotected Detroit first

I will admit that I’m a pusher of Naz Reid propaganda, but man, I would love him in Detroit. I think this is a great pivot if Trey Murphy III is too expensive to get.

Naz is listed at 6’9” and 260 pounds and can play both PF and C. We could finally see Ausar Thompson playing next to a stretch big again since Mike Muscala left the team a few years ago. Reid is still only 26 years old and has played in 77 or more games in each of the past three seasons. He received 6MOY votes in each of those seasons and I think it’s time he gets promoted to the starting lineup. Naz is shooting 37.1% from deep in his career and attempted a career-high 5.8 threes in back-to-back seasons. Just like Isaiah Joe, this feels like a Trajan guy – someone who’s always available and always consistent from deep. Call me crazy, but I’d define Naz as a ball-handler, too.

Minnesota does this deal because they are EXPENSIVE. This deal saves them $3.1 million in salary, yet Naz is only their 5th most costly player behind Edwards, Gobert, Randle, and McDaniels. Both Sasser and Stewart can be expiring deals to get off of Naz’s long term money of 4-yr/$104m left, while Sass can offer them some needed guard play and a duo of Gobert/Stew gives them the best defensive big combo in the NBA. As great as Trey Murphy III’s contract is, Naz’s deal is pretty good, too.

I believe Minnesota would rather move Julius Randle, but I’m not sure any team wants to take on his remaining 2-yr/$69m without assets attached. They could keep Stew the following year on his team option and Stew could play C next to Randle or PF next to Gobert in spurts. The 2027 Detroit first-rounder could eventually help them land a starting PG to play next to Edwards.

Detroit’s Free Agents

I’m bringing back Javonte Green, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren. Green can get another minimum deal. With Jefferson planning on being my Tobias replacement at some point, I’d sign Tobias to a two-year deal worth $20 million including a team-option in the second year.

I’m signing Jalen Duren to a five-year $200 million contract. If Duren gets the same percentage of the cap as Alperen Şengün, who got a 5-yr/$185 million deal starting last season, it would equal 5-yr/$197 million, so a $200 million deal feels fair for both sides.

I’m also extending Ausar Thompson to a five-year $150 million deal. I’ve heard a potential deal for AT being similar to what Jalen Suggs or Dyson Daniels got. Daniels starts a 4-yr/$100m contract this year and Suggs is on his second year of a 5-yr/$150 million deal. I’d be happy pushing Ausar up to $160 million total if needed.

I would not be surprised if Daniss Jenkins’ and Paul Reed’s deals are restructured to get them under contract for multiple years as well.

2026-2027 Roster

PG: Cade Cunningham | Tyler Herro |Daniss Jenkins

SG: Tyler Herro | Isaiah Joe | Javonte Green

SF: Ausar Thompson | Ron Holland | Tobias Harris

PF: Naz Reid | Tobias Harris | Joshua Jefferson

C: Jalen Duren | Naz Reid | Paul Reed

—————

Don’t stress, Trajan – I did the work for you!

What’re your thoughts at my attempt at an offseason, DBB? What changes would you make?

Go Stones.

Karl Towns Sr. is the proud papa of NBA champion Karl-Anthony Towns, who was a key component in the team’s playoff run — which snapped a 53-year championship drought.

Papa Towns take a shot at some Father’s Day Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. 

Q: Why do you think New York City fell in love with your son Karl-Anthony?

A: Because he’s humble, caring, loving. And he wanted to bring something to New York that they’ve been thirsting for 53 years. When he puts on that jersey, he knew every time he put it on he was representing his mother, the city, and he wanted to give them a chance to be where they were yesterday.

Q: What is the most memorable Father’s Day you’ve had with KAT?

A: Ready for this? It’s gonna be this Sunday, being a part of my son winning an NBA championship.

Q: What are your plans?

A: I don’t need any plans. You know what my plans were? The parade yesterday, sitting there crying, emotional, seeing my son hold that trophy — something I dreamed it would happen one day, and to see it fulfilled, he don’t have to do anything for me Father’s Day. He just did it. Seeing him fulfill his mother’s dream and me being a part of his dream … I’m good. 

Q: What was the highlight of the parade for you?

A: The highlight of the parade was watching my son finally hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. It was emotional for me because it was always a dream of his mother for him to play for the Knicks in a season. It was not only his dream of being an NBA champion, but his mother’s dream. The whole thing was beautiful, but watching him walk out of City Hall with the trophy up high, that’s when it hit me that he was a champion. It was a day I’ll never forget. When he walked down the steps, it really hit me that my son had reached the pinnacle of the basketball world.

Q: What was it like on the float?

A: The float was a beautiful thing, because over the years, you watch all these other teams go down the Canyon of Heroes, but to know that this was a parade for the New York Knicks basketball program that never had a parade, and knowing that the whole city was honoring us, it was so emotional. And to see all these old players that played for the Knicks, it was so emotional that they could finally be part of a parade. And it was a parade for the entire Knick unit over the years, it wasn’t just for us. And to see all of them come back, it was a great moment to be on that float and look behind me and see all of those former players who made the program what it was be a part of the biggest Knick celebration for basketball. … You could see the joy in their face, as in our players … a family reunion. 

Q: What were your emotions on the float with your son?

A: I was crying and hugging him, saying, “Thank you for being yourself, and giving me a chance to be here, experiencing this moment with you. You made this possible for all of us, and I say, thank you, son. I love you, and you earned this day.”

Q: He looked like he was having quite a fun time.

A: Best day of his life. Besides getting engaged to Jordyn [Woods]. 

Q: You were doing a lot of crying during the parade.

A: You don’t know emotional it is seeing confetti coming down on your kid, and people showing your kid the love, the respect, saying thank you for giving us the championship we’ve been waiting for for 53 years. I’m getting emotional now even talking about it. As a father, you only want the best for your child [daughters Malaika and Lachelle, and son Brandon]. When you’re on that float, and you look up, and you see that confetti coming down, it’s very emotional … Because they only do that for heroes. Imagine them seeing your son as a hero to the city. 

Q: You lost your wife Jacqueline “Jackie” Cruz-Towns, and Karl-Anthony his mother, to COVID in 2020. Tell me about the two of you that day.

A: She was his mom and I lost my partner. I was more worried about his emotional state because that was his everything. Just know that he had to make a decision to let her go [from life support]. It was very hard. I hugged him and I told him, “Don’t worry, I will ride with you until the day I die. You’re never gonna be alone, I’ll be there for you all the time. I know how hard it is for you, but she always told you no matter what to be strong.” … This championship healed him a lot. He was able to release a lot of the stuff that he couldn’t see emotionally, but he released it to everybody, let them know that his mother is there, he could feel her presence. You don’t forget it, the feeling never leaves you, but you have to be strong and move on, and I think that this championship and her being there healed him in a way that he really needed this to move forward.

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Q: Describe her for me.

A: His mother was a ray of sunshine in his world … a very hard-nosed, driven, outspoken, straightforward, straight shooter. Out of any Spanish mom, don’t mess with her kids. You better come correct, because she will defend her kids to the end. She fought for every right for all her kids. She was a great woman. 

Q: What was it like when the Knicks traded for your son right before the 2024-25 season?

A: Knowing that we had been somewhere [Minnesota] for nine years, it was like we were moving, so I was emotional, but at the same time it’s part of the business. I was more worried about how he felt. As a dad, you always want to support your son. As long as he was OK, I was OK. But we really weren’t going to a new area, we were just going home [Piscataway, N.J.], because we were going back to the East Coast and we were from here anyway.

Q: You were in Minneapolis for the whole nine years with him?

A: Every basketball season I spent with him, yes.

Q: What were those nine years?

A: Cold! You know what, I call it probably the best years with me and my son because we were always there and we bonded. Every basketball season I was out there for all the games, just like the Knicks this year. I went to every game for the last two years. It was a chance for us to just do father-son time. When his mom passed away I just wanted to spend more time with him just for his emotional and mental state, make sure he had somebody there he could always talk to if he ever felt like he needed someone there.

Q: What kind of child was he?

A: I call him a perfectionist. Everything had to be right. He always was reading, he always was knowledgeable and stuff, and he was very, very on point, so when you talk to him you have to have all your facts because he already knew what the right answer would be. To this day he’s the same way. 

Q: How else would you describe your son?

A: Extremely humble. He takes everything to heart. He wants the best for everyone. He just wants to be a friend to you. He’s not arrogant, none of that. He’s down to earth. He’s relatable to anybody, it don’t matter who you are.

Q: Best piece of advice you ever gave him?

A: Be yourself. Make all your own decisions. Don’t let anybody make answers and decisions on your life for you, Be your own man. 

Q: Describe the day he won his first state championship in high school.

A: Magical moment. He wanted to leave high school knowing that he had played on the No. 1 team in the state, and that night, I’ll never forget in Trenton, they pulled it off.

Q: His decision to go to Kentucky.

A: He had settled down to Rutgers, Duke, Seton Hall, North Carolina State and another one. I think that the decision to go to Kentucky was a little bit better being that he played on the national team for Cal [John Calipari]. He wanted the challenge of having a chance to get to the next level. My wife loved Kentucky. Duke was in it, but she didn’t like the fact that he had to walk across campus.

Q: He played for the Dominican National team when he was 16.

A: He will not play for another team but the Dominican team because the Dominican team is his bond with his mother.

Q: What was draft day like in 2015?

A: Magical moment. Knowing that we were sitting there knowing that Minnesota was gonna have the first pick. He had a great workout in Minnesota. I’ll never forget it. [Kevin] Garnett and everybody watched him, and just to hear his name called first — after all those years of playing in high school, college, all the great players around the country, to know that they felt that you were the No. 1 pick in the draft, you can never take that away from him. He will always be considered a No. 1 pick for the rest of his life.

Q: Your son’s first NBA game.

A: Los Angeles Lakers in L.A. The thing I recall was watching him get his first basket as an NBA player, he made a steal and dunked. It’s the most vivid memory because as a father, you never ever think your son’s gonna make it to the NBA. Once you score one basket in the NBA you’re officially in the record books. I knew when he made that basket, his name was gonna be etched in the books forever.

Q: What were your emotions when you were cut by the Knicks.

A: I wasn’t cut, I got hurt, so I didn’t go to attend the camp. My ankle, unfortunately, I got injured. It hurt, but what was I gonna do? It wasn’t meant to be. God has different plans for everybody. And the plan came out to be my son was supposed to play for the Knicks and win a championship. 

Q: His first game as a Knick.

A: Magical moment. Because to me it was the moment — it was a full circle thing. It didn’t happen to me, it happened to him. But to know that when he walked out there in that uniform that night he represented … and this was his mother always wanted him to be — represent the New York Knicks and play in New York. To me it was an emotional night because he fulfilled her dream. She wasn’t here … but she was here. Because she’s part of him. It was a moment I’ll always remember. And she told him, “One day you’re gonna play for New York and win a championship.” It was a magical moment for everybody to see him come out in his first game in a Knick uniform.

Q: Near the end of Game 5 in San Antonio, your emotions.

A: I was right across from him, I looked at him, and the first thing he did was look up to the sky to his mom and said, “We did it!”

Q: And when you first saw him when the game ended? 

A: We hugged, and I said, “She would be so proud of you right now.” … He said, “She’s here.”And you know what I told him? “I know.”

Q: As a 6-foot-5 power forward, what kind of a player were you at what was then Monmouth College in the mid-1980s?

A: I was a double-double — I [regularly] had 10 points, 13 rebounds. … He mastered it in a way I didn’t. He definitely gets a lot of rebounds because he’s always reading the ball. I had to go get it, he maneuvers his way to get it. He’s a way better scorer than I was. I was a brute. He’s a gifted scorer. I was an opportunity scorer. 

Q: You were a Knicks fan growing up. Did you go to the Garden?

A: Never had an opportunity to go to the Garden. My parents didn’t have the money to send us back then — they were trying to take care of four kids. I didn’t start going to the Garden until I got in college.

Q: Did you take your son to the Garden?

A: My son ended up taking me to the Garden, how ’bout that?

Q: Do you remember the 1985 draft lottery when the Knicks got Patrick [Ewing]?

A: Yes I do. The year he got drafted to the pros, I played him [in college[. They [Georgetown] beat us by 50 points [actually 85-53]. We were just happy to be on the floor with these guys. 

Q: What was it like trying to guard him?

A: We lost by 50, what does that say? They laughed at me, but I had a 40-inch vertical so we jumped center, he didn’t know that. So I beat him on the tip. 

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: My wife, my mother, my brother Kenny.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Love and Basketball.”

Q: Favorite actors.”

A: Denzel Washington. Spike Lee.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Sandra Bullock.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: Michael Jackson.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Spaghetti and sausage.

Q: What stands out to you about KAT’s on-court mentality?

A: Pinpoint. Magic [Johnson] was always his idol. You could see out there he’s always navigating like a GPS system, he’s trying to make the right decision, right pass. I’m awed by some of the passes that he can get through to his players. 

Q: Jalen Brunson.

A: Great player, great teammate. Call ’em Batman and Robin. I love the kid. The kid plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played. Plays hard, plays to win, he’s a great leader and a great person.

Q: What did you like best about these Knicks?

A: That nobody cared who starred, they just wanted to win. 

Q: As a longtime high school coach, why do you appreciate Mike Brown?

A: Because he came in with a plan and it was fulfilled. And he’s a coach’s coach. Respected the players, listened. Great dude. 

Q: What do you know about KAT’s fiancé Jordyn’s designer bag?

A: That it was a lucky charm. Her collection is one of the best collections that I’ve seen because everything is about today’s woman. When the bag started winning games, she had to have it. But I think the bag is going into retirement now. The bag did its job. You don’t want to overdo it. I’m happy for her because the bag was something that became inspirational to a lot of people.

Q: They’re engaged now. Do you think she reminds your son of his mother?

A: Absolutely — loving, caring, humble, dedicated, she’s by his side, she’s there for him just like his mother was. She’s been his rock.

Q: Do you think these guys can win it again next year?

A: Absolutely. Because you know what they built a lot of teams don’t have? A bond. Once you taste it, it’s hard to let it go.

The Celtics would love to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it’s not going to be that easy.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said previously that the team would like to have the superstar’s future resolved before the NBA draft, which is now just three days away.

And while the Celtics are interested in adding the two-time MVP, new reporting suggests that Boston and Milwaukee are not exactly on the same page.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that “if Boston had its way,” the Celtics would nab Antetokounmpo, 31, by simply sending Jaylen Brown the other way in a one-for-one swap.

However, Amick added that it’s “unclear” whether the Bucks would want to build around the 29-year-old Brown, and said it’s “widely believed” that further players and/or picks would be required in an Antetokounmpo trade.

It is also said that the 2021 Finals MVP would be comfortable signing an extension with Boston.

Nonetheless, the Bucks will want to find a resolution to Antetokounmpo’s situation soon amid continued speculation and innuendo from his side.

While he has yet to publicly demand a trade, he reportedly approached the Bucks for a trade on at least two occasions this past season.

The Bucks also held some brief talks with the Knicks over a potential Antetokounmpo trade last summer, ESPN’s Shams Charania previously reported.

Milwaukee decided to hold onto the Future Hall of Famer past this season’s trade deadline, despite the team being out of contention, but the organization has now found itself “underwhelmed” by the offers on its table, Amick reported, citing anonymous executives.

The Heat are also reportedly interested in Antetokounmpo.

Statistically, it was another strong season for him as he notched 27.6 points per game to go along with 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in just 36 games.

But the roster was lacking in talent around him and finished just 32-50 before getting the No. 10 pick in the NBA draft lottery.

Brown, meanwhile, finished sixth in MVP voting as he led the Celtics to a strong season with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season due to injury.

But there are suggestions that Brown, 29, may finally want to lead his own team.

Leading into the post-season, there was a large discussion about whether the Spurs needed to lose in order to win. That is, many thought they were too young, they didn’t have the playoff defeats to learn from, and therefore were not ready to win a championship.

San Antonio made a very deep playoff run, nevertheless, knocking off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, only to fall short and suffer defeat at the highest mountain top to the New York Knicks. Along with the scars suffered along the way, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have now very much bled their own blood. Now, will they bounce back?

It’s certainly possible. History has plenty of examples of teams facing defeat in the Finals, often thanks to their own miscues, only to come back better and stronger the next year. Here are some of the most famous examples of redemption championship teams.

Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers 1980s

There is no greater rivalry in professional basketball than the Celtics and Lakers. The two teams have met in the finals 12 times. As far as bounce-back teams, there are plenty to choose from. The best example would be 1985. Magic Johnson, who already had two Finals MVPs at that point, arguably cost the Lakers the series. He had bad turnovers, missed free throws, and even forgot about the shot clock on a crucial possession at the end of game two, earning him the infamous nickname “Tragic Johnson.” But he and his teammates redeemed themselves, winning the 1985 championship over Boston.

Then, not to be discouraged, Boston bounced back themselves in 1986 with one of the best teams of all time, winning a championship over the Houston Rockets.

Miami Heat 2011-2012

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh had formed their triumvirate in Miami and were ready to take over the league as “The Heatles”. But it would take them until their second year together to realize that potential. In their first season together, they faced a tragic defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. James averaged only 17.8 points, a far cry from his 26.7 regular-season average, leading many to wonder if the moment was just too big for him (and if karma had caught up to him for The Decision and their cocky declaration of “not two, not three, not four….” championships at their introduction parade). Ultimately, he and Miami would bounce back for a championship the following season, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, with James being crowned with his first Finals MVP.

The Beautiful Game Spurs 2013-2014

And of course, what is perhaps the best example of a bounce-back season is the 2014 San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio suffered a brutal defeat in 2013 at the hands of the Miami Heat, losing in seven games after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in Game 6 thanks to series of late blunders and the “Ray Allen Shot”.

Then, as is well known, they came back with a vengeance the very next year. They finished first in the West with the best record in the league, Gregg Popovich won Coach of the Year, and they toppled the same Heat team in the Finals in only 5 games. It was not only a redemption, but perhaps the sweetest icing on top of the cake of several Hall of Fame careers.

These are just a few examples. Overall, it’s a question of perseverance. While it would be nice for Victor Wembanyama to have a perfect Finals record, comparable to a certain all-time great everyone thinks about, the fact is that just isn’t the case. But he shouldn’t be discouraged. Many, if not all, of the other all-time greats have fallen short. It’s a fact of basketball and a fact of life. Setbacks are going to happen; it’s a question of whether you bounce back or bounce backwards.

Depending on how the board falls, Kentucky wing Otega Oweh could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th, 31st or 55th selection?

The Basics

• School: Kentucky (transferred from Oklahoma)
• Position: Guard/Forward
• Height: 6’4.25” (barefoot)
• Weight: 216 lbs
• Age: 23 (June 21, 2003)
• 2025-26 Stats: 20.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 46.5% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 73.1% FT
• Projected Draft Range: Mid-second round

The Numbers

Oweh has taken one of the more interesting long roads in this draft class. He began his career at Oklahoma as a raw athletic defender, became a legitimate two-way contributor as a sophomore, transferred to Kentucky, and eventually turned himself into one of the SEC’s most productive wings.

The scoring jump is the first thing that stands out in Oweh’s resume, as he is coming off a senior season in which he averaged 20.5 points per game while carrying a major offensive role for the Wildcats.

The defensive numbers also pass the eye test. Oweh posted a career-best 1.8 steals per game and has been one of the better perimeter defenders in college basketball for multiple seasons.

The shooting remains the swing number. Oweh hit 37.7% from three as a sophomore at Oklahoma, 35.5% during his first Kentucky season, and roughly 33% as a senior, in a steady regression that has been going on for three consecutive seasons. Although Oweh’s mechanics are not clean, the willingness is there, and his free-throw shooting improvement going from Oklahoma to Kentucky is notable.

Skills That Pay the Bills

• Point-Of-Attack Defense: Oweh’s clearest NBA skill is defense, as he can guard opposing wings, pressure ball-handlers, navigate screens, disrupt passing lanes, and use his strength to knock drivers off their spots.
• Physical Slashing: Oweh has a strong frame, broad shoulders, and downhill burst. He can get into the paint, absorb contact, draw fouls, and put pressure on the rim.
• Transition Scoring: His athleticism pops in the open floor, with Oweh turning steals into runouts, sprints the lanes, and can finish above the rim when he gets space.
• Defensive-Event Creation: Oweh does not just stay in front of players; he hunts and haunts them. His career steal production is one of the strongest indicators that his defense can translate into a real NBA role.
• Catch-And-Shoot Growth: The jumper is not perfect, but he has become a credible enough shooter to keep defenses honest. He relocates well, can hit standstill threes, and has improved enough over four college seasons to make the shot projection worth buying into.

Concerns

• Shooting Mechanics: Oweh’s release has a hitch and can be slow. NBA defenders will close space faster than his fellow amateurs, so he needs to speed up the shot or become more consistent when contested.
• Finishing Touch: He is powerful and athletic, but his layup touch remains inconsistent. Some of his rim efficiency comes from dunks, transition chances and physical advantages that may not happen often in the NBA.
• Decision-Making: Oweh has improved as a passer, but he can still force drives, settle for contested midrange shots, or miss quicker reads when the defense loads up.
• Offensive Role: He is not a primary creator and probably will not become one. His current NBA value depends entirely on defense, slashing, transition play, secondary passing, and little shooting.
• Age and Upside: Oweh will be 23 as a rookie after four college seasons. Teams may view him more as a ready-made role-player bet than a long-term upside swing.

The Knicks Fit

Oweh fits a very specific type of Knicks target in that he’s tough, physical, older, defensive-minded and ready to compete for a role from the jump.

The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, No. 31 and No. 55 and are coming off a championship, which means there is little pressure to nail drafting any sort of plug-and-play dude. That changes the calculus. New York needs affordable players who can defend, survive in playoff-style basketball if they crack the rotation during the first 82 games, and avoid being overwhelmed by NBA physicality.

Oweh has the body to play through contact, the mentality to guard tough assignments, and enough offensive development to avoid being a complete liability. He could give Mike Brown another wing defender behind OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, while also providing athleticism in transition and pressure at the rim.

However, the Knicks already have exactly that: high-level defensive wings. With those champs already in the roster and under contract, does Oweh have a clear path to instant rotation minutes? Not really, although he could spend time with Westchester, sharpen the jumper, tighten the handle, and become a useful depth piece if injuries or roster changes open minutes.

NBA Comparison

• Best-Case Comparison: Josh Okogie (Physical point-of-attack defender with transition scoring but a lack of true shooting)
• Median Outcome: Bigger Gary Payton II (Defensive disruptor, cutter, transition finisher in a low-usage role)
• Low-End Outcome: Stanley Johnson (Strong defensive wing with a capped role due to the lack of offense)

The Verdict

Consider at 31st if all other targets are gone: Legitimate option at the start of the second round, only if New York completely misses out on all of their higher-ranked targets and wants a tough two-way wing who can compete immediately in camp but not have a big role throughout the 2026-27 season.

Draft at 55th: Assuming the Knicks keep one of their first two picks, Oweh at 55th is a win. He should have heard his name called around the 40-50 clip, so finding him available here would provide real value without risking having to wait for him to go UDFA and sign him there.

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Go Knicks!