Three of the Knicks’ most popular WAGs celebrated the team’s NBA championship on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center.
Ali Brunson (Jalen’s wife), Shannon Hart (Josh’s wife) and Jordyn Woods (Karl-Anthony Towns’ fiancée) took a photo with a large version of the Larry O’Brien trophy that went out on ESPN’s social media channels.
“Knicks royalty,” all three captioned the video on their Instagram Stories.
Shannon Hart (left), Ali Brunson (middle) and Jordyn Woods celebrate Knicks championship. AliBrunson/Instagram
Ali and Jalen were shown embracing on the ESPN broadcast in the moments after the Knicks’ Game 5 win over the Spurs that earned the franchise its first championship in 53 years.
Ali shared a number of posts from behind the scenes of the Knicks celebrating the title and also some celebratory posts from fans.
She also announced when the team arrived home in New York.
The Knicks team plane landing back home. AliBrunson/InstagramShannon and Josh Hart with one of their sons. ShannonHart/Instagram
“We are so back,” Ali wrote with a picture of her exiting the plane.
Shannon also shared a number of videos featuring her and Josh’s 3-year-old twin sons, Hendrix and Haze.
“Wore my shoes with two rings because who’s getting two rings this year,” Woods wrote with her and Towns slated to get married later this year after announcing their engagement on Christmas 2025.
Jordyn Woods was wearing ‘two rings” to the Knicks’ Game 5 win. JordynWoods/Instagram
Brunson, Hart and Towns all played pivotal roles in the Knicks’ title with the team winning 15 of their final 16 games.
Brunson was the NBA Finals MVP after scoring 45 points in the Game 5 clincher and carried the team throughout the postseason.
Hart, who also played with Brunson at Villanova, is the Knicks’ do-it-all forward who averaged 10 points, nine rebounds and nearly five assists per game in the playoffs.
The postseason flipped for the Knicks after falling down 2-1 to Atlanta when they decided to run their offense through Towns, which unlocked their potential and led to a 13-game winning streak before the Spurs finally beat them in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
But that would be the Knicks’ final loss of the postseason, rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 and then securing a 94-90 victory on Saturday night.
The couples and the Knicks raucous fans will celebrate the championship with a trip down the Canyon of Heroes on Thursday with the team’s parade.
“You better be good to her,” Brunson said after joyously bumping McNutt. “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.”
— sports live tweeter yadira (@jonmoxIeys) June 14, 2026
On the Knicks radiocast on Wednesday, which was airing on WatchESPN, McNutt was heard taking a shot at Swift who was among the many celebrities at MSG for Game 4.
“She’s not a Knicks fan,” said McNutt in an apparent hot mic moment. “Get out of here, girl.”
Taylor Swift celebrates the Knicks’ Game 4 win of the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
Kelce, and to a lesser extent Swift, cheered on Cleveland as they got bulldozed by the Knicks juggernaut, 121-108, on New York’s way to a four-game sweep.
“Swifties, I appreciate your passion, I said what I said,” McNutt said. “Here’s the deal, if I’m wrong, I am wrong apparently because she’s got an original Amar’e Stoudemire [Knicks] jersey. I misspoke. I did not know. But here’s the deal, context, I literally just did a piece on Celebrity Row. I’ve been with his organization for five years. I know these folks — Ben Stiller, his wife Christine [Taylor], Spike Lee, Fat Joe. I had not seen her here this year or last year and we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé [Travis Kelce for Game 3 of Eastern Conference finals].
“Obviously Travis supports the Cavs. She didn’t have any Knicks paraphernalia [on at the game], so I didn’t know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout to T. Swift, we can be united in orange and blue, it’s fine.
“I did not know, I apologize if I’m wrong and apparently i am wrong and that fine but I did not know, because come on now — every Knicks fan has been in the building this year. So it’s all good.”
Now, McNutt has Brunson publicly on her side. The newly minted NBA Finals MVP’s moment of support could help calm Swift’s rabid fans after he dropped 45 points in a performance for the ages in Game 5.
Swift’s next trip to MSG will be for her wedding to Kelce slated to take place July Fourth weekend.
What a morning it is in New York City and the surrounding area!
The Knicks are NBA Champions for the first time since 1973, ending the drought with a historically dominant playoff run that was capped off with a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night.
Here's a look at how the back (and front) pages reacted to the Knicks taking home the title...
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - 2026/03/27: Nate Ament (R) of the Tennessee Volunteers in action against Nate Heise (L) of the Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Final score: Tennessee 76, Iowa State 62. (Photo by Nicholas Muller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Tennessee Volunteers haven’t exactly been a school that you would typically associate with the NBA Draft, but that’s been changing in a big way under Rick Barnes for the past several seasons. Going back to Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield, then Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer…. eventually leading to Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier and Jahmai Mashack — Barnes has turned Tennessee into a place where you can develop into a pro.
This year brings perhaps his best pro prospect yet, Nate Ament. The former 5-star prospect took a little while to settle in this past season, but once he did you saw exactly why he was billed as one of the top players in the country. Ament decided to turn pro after one season in Knoxville, as expected, and he’s largely projected as a lottery pick in next week’s NBA Draft.
Tennessee also will likely see point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and center Felix Okpara come off the board in round two.
Yahoo Sports: No. 11 overall to the Golden State Warriors
NBADraft.net: No. 7 overall to the Sacramento Kings
Ament’s slow start was quickly forgotten by the time SEC play rolled around as the 6-10 wing really got things going. His late game heroics salted games away late for Rick Barnes as the slender slasher forced his way to the rim and drew fouls at a ridiculously high rate. His perimeter shooting came along as well, becoming much more consistent late in the year. An ankle injury derailed his final games as a Volunteer.
Ament will need to get stronger and more consistent, but there’s quite a bit to work with here.
Gillespie returned home to Tennessee to cap off his college career, filling the shoes of the departing Zakai Zeigler at point guard. He delivered in that role as Tennessee’s go-to playmaker, averaging over 18 points per game. Gillespie added 5.4 assists per game and was a menace defensively, grabbing over two steals per contest. He set a Tennessee record with 79 steals on the year, along with the single-game mark of eight coming against Oklahoma.
Gillespie is undersized at 6-1 and plays a little too streaky in both directions, but his playmaking and shooting should bring some instant value off the bench.
Felix Okpara
Yahoo Sports: No. 49 overall to the Denver Nuggets
NBADraft.net: No. 50 overall to the Toronto Raptors
If you could build a center in a lab for Rick Barnes, it would probably look a lot like Felix Okpara. The 6-11, 242 pound big man was Tennessee’s rim protector for two seasons after transferring in from Ohio State. Okpara registered 243 career blocks over four seasons, locking down the paint for both the Volunteers and Buckeyes.
Okpara worked offensively as a lob-catcher for Gillespie, with his points coming up to average eight per game in his senior season. Okpara averaged just over six rebounds per game in his final three seasons in college.
He now projects as a rotational big at the next level with legitimate, big-time defensive ability.
Also of note: Former Vol Tobe Awaka is projected to land in the second round by Yahoo at No. 51 overall. Cameron Carr is a likely first round pick, being projected as high as No. 13 overall by NBADraft.net.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award trophy, New York Knicks owner James Dolan, and his father Rick Brunson after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jalen Brunson was overpaid.
That was the consensus when the Knicks signed him in free agency on June 30, 2022, inking him to a four-year, $104 million contract. It was the first time in NBA history a non-All-Star had inked a nine-figure contract in free agency.
The consensus was that he was given too much money. A franchise that hadn’t sniffed a conference finals appearance in 22 years was now relying on a small guard who played second fiddle to Luka Doncic to bring them back to relevancy. The things that were said about this man goes beyond parody.
Two years later, he had already proved everyone wrong in that regard. He had emerged as the face of the franchise and had restored hope to a team that had been devoid of it for so long, even if they seemed stuck at a second-round ceiling.
After the 2023-24 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, the Knicks reached a true inflection point.
Julius Randle was due for an extension. The second apron was closing in. The team’s carefully accumulated draft assets were slowly wasting away, running out of time to cash them in.
There was also the case of Brunson’s next contract. He was eligible to extend in the 2024 offseason for four years and $156 million, but could also wait a year and ink an extension worth $269 million across five years. Playing for a team that is forever in debt to you for returning them to relevance, that extension felt guaranteed, barring major injury or some Isaiah Thomas situation.
$113 million is a lot of god damn money. We common folk can’t even fathom having a tenth of that money in the bank account. While Brunson was already set for life with his first nine-figure contract, that fact has never stopped any athlete from taking as rich a contract as humanly possible.
I wrote about the pros and cons of Brunson signing an extension that offseason, but that was always looking at things through rose-tinted glasses. There are very few people in the history of the world who would willingly sacrifice that much money for more roster flexibility.
But Jalen Brunson was one of them.
In a largely unprecedented financial concession to give roster flexibility to a contender, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has agreed on a four-year, $156.5 million extension, his agent Sam Rose of CAA tells ESPN — $113M less guaranteed than he’s eligible to receive in one… pic.twitter.com/DDJvz7TUlr
It’s probably the largest pay cut in terms of total salary in sports history, just because of the way contracts have ballooned over the past several years. In looking for similar examples, Brunson’s old teammate, Dirk Nowitzki, took a big pay cut in 2014. LeBron, Wade, and Bosh all left a little on the table to make the Big 3 in Miami. KD left a little on the table to join the Warriors in 2016. Tom Brady would take a little less money to help the dynasty Patriots.
But all of these guys had legitimate title aspirations when they did this. Brunson was taking a pay cut for a team that, aside from a measly four weeks in January 2024, had never shown they had any real chance to compete for a championship.
As such, the same people who clowned the Knicks for signing him in the first place were now clowning the new Knicks’ captain for leaving all that money on the table. There’s no guarantee that he would even get to sign that potential $400 million extension in a few years as he entered his 30s. He might’ve done all this for nothing. Hell, it was only two months ago that the consensus was that he did this for nothing.
But now that we’re here, now that the Knicks are NBA champions for the first time in 53 years, now that Brunson has hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy and been named Finals MVP, his gamble has paid off.
It was the most ambitious decision imaginable for a player who was ascending into superstardom. The most likely outcome was that it not result in anything meaningful.
But it did. And the money he left on the table paid dividends.
Brunson made $34.94 million in 2025-26. If he waited a year and signed the mega extension, he would’ve made $46.4 million. That’s $11.5 million more for a team that has narrowly ducked the second apron in consecutive seasons.
After trading for Mikal Bridges and giving a massive contract to OG Anunoby, the pay cut had the team narrowly avoid the dreaded second apron, while also allowing them to swing a massive training camp trade. The Knicks aren’t able to trade for Karl-Anthony Towns if they passed that line, but Leon Rose bet that the seemingly overpaid All-NBA center would be a key piece of a championship contender.
Later down the line, the Knicks were able to ink Bridges to a $150 million extension without threatening to blow past the aprons and the team was even able to open up a mid-level exception in the following offseason, which they used to sign Guerschon Yabusele.
Yabusele, of course, eventually became José Alvarado, who was one of the saviors in Game 4.
The Knicks will almost certainly be a second apron team next year, something that will be totally worth it with a title in the rearview mirror, but they would be on the verge of being deconstructed if not for Brunson’s patience.
If he doesn’t take that pay cut, the two-year window of the second apron would’ve ended right now. Instead, this core will get two more cracks at it to turn a one-off title into a dynasty.
The greatest leader New York sports has ever known.
NEW YORK — This is something that spanned generations.
This was 53 years of parents telling their children that, perhaps, this was the year. This was Ewing and Starks and Houston getting ever-so-close in ’99. This was icons like Carmelo and Camby who were players on good teams that could never be great teams. It was even Marbury and Stoudemire, fan favorites who captured the hearts of the city but who often had the misfortune of playing on bad teams.
The New York Knicks, with a magical run through the 2026 postseason – one of the greatest playoff performances of all-time – became basketball royalty with their relentless resilience that saw them claim the NBA Finals in five games over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, June 13.
This is why, even though the ’73 team featured a remarkable eight Hall of Famers, these Knicks will go down as the greatest team in franchise history.
In Radio City Music Hall, confetti tumbled from the ceiling of a sold out watch party, as the team’s official anthem, "Go New York Go," thundered over the sound system.
A block party broke out in the West Village, on W. 4th near Christopher Park, where people gathered on their fire escapes to belt out the chorus of "Empire State of Mind," joining the thousands who flooded the streets below.
In Harlem, residents poured out of walk-ups and bars to shut down 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. They drank and sang, and one man set off Roman Candles in the middle of the street. Another rolled up in his neon green Harley Davidson and blasted Busta Rhymes’ "New York S***" for everyone to hear, a song whose lyrics include "I rep the Giants, Jets, New York Knicks."
In Wollman Rink in Central Park, where New Yorkers go to pickleball in the summer and ice skate in the winter, a pair of massive screens beamed the game to thousands, backlit by the towering corridor of opulent skyscrapers along Billionaires’ Row.
You can swap the names of the places because they were all interchangeable. This was the vibe across the Bronx and Brooklyn, too, from Highbridge in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, to Williamsburg on the banks of the East River. This spanned all five boroughs.
There were men and women, young and old. They were Black and white and Asian and everything in between. There were recent arrivals to the bandwagon and lifers. It didn’t matter. They all spilled out into this hot night to celebrate together because that is how this city honors its very best.
Though it was under wholly different circumstances, tonight reminded me of another celebration, one far more somber in nature. Back in April of 2020, as COVID-19 cases ripped through the city and we were confined to our apartments, someone found a way to honor first-responders and medical staff who were keeping the city safe: every evening at 7 p.m., residents opened their windows and banged pots and pans to recognize the efforts of those putting themselves at risk.
Tonight, as the final seconds ticked off the clock, there was no need to stay inside. The city chose to celebrate together all the same.
And though the parade has been set for Thursday, June 18, New York almost certainly won’t need to wait another 53 years for this feeling. If anything, these Knicks are built to last.
Jalen Brunson, the Finals Most Valuable Player, is 29 and signed to an extremely team-friendly deal, one he agreed to on condition that the team use the salary cap space to attract other key players. Karl-Anthony Towns is 30, Mikal Bridges is 29 and OG Anunoby is 28.
Mike Brown was coaching his first season with the franchise, but, more than anything, these Knicks proved in convincing fashion that winning in the contemporary NBA is not necessarily about accruing star players, but finding ones who perfectly fit a system and a vision. In the era of parity – in which New York made it eight different champions in as many seasons – it’s not about a Big Three or blockbuster signings, but about holistic roster construction.
"I love my players, love the organization, but more importantly, let’s go New York," Brown told reporters after the game, holding his grandson, Iverson, in his lap. "Let’s go New York. We can’t wait to get back home."
CLEMSON, SC - FEBRUARY 28: Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) during a college basketball game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers on February 28, 2026 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The New York Knicks are NBA champions, and it’s still hard to believe it. The Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years by knocking off the San Antonio Spurs in five games on Saturday night. New York’s historic 29-point second half comeback in Game 4 will be remembered forever as one of the wildest finishes in league history, and it ends a five decade title drought for one of the marquee franchises in the sport.
The NBA offseason starts now. The 2026 NBA Draft is coming June 23 and 24, and it will be followed by the start of free agency a week later. All eyes are on a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and the arrival of loaded draft class will only bring more pressure to complete deals quickly around the league.
There was a brief moment where I considered Peterson at No. 1, and that was when he dropped 58 points on Dybantsa in Feb. 2025 when they matched up near the end of their high school careers. The full game is on YouTube, and it’s still a spectacular watch:
The best version of Peterson feels like one of the strongest guard prospects to hit the NBA in recent memory. We did not see that player this year as he dealt with bizarre soft tissue strains and cramping at Kansas. He says the problem is under control now — he was taking too much creatine without proper hydration — and I tend to think that getting professional advice from an NBA team will be better for his health than listening to his family or private trainers.
This draft is starting to remind of the 2022 class, when everyone was so sure the Orlando Magic were picking Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 1 until they decided to take Paolo Banchero when they turned in the card. Dybantsa just leaves too much doubt outside of his scoring for a top pick. I predict the Wizards go with Peterson or Boozer, and today I’m settling on Peterson.
What are the other swing picks in this draft?
The Clippers at No. 5: The top-4 feels like the top-4 in this draft. Ask 20 people who they think is the fifth best prospect in the class and you might get 10 different answers. That means the Clippers have the biggest decision in this class after earning the pick from the Indiana Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade. I could see the Clippers going with Keaton Wagler or Kingston Flemings or even Yaxel Lendeborg or Aday Mara. In this mock, I’m giving them my pick for the fifth-best player in the class, Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. Brown’s shot selection can get wild at times, and it’s scary that he was already hampered by a back injury at age-20, but his intersection of pull-up shooting, three-point volume, passing creativity, and rim pressure sets him apart from the other guards in the class in my mind.
The Nets at No. 6: Brooklyn feels like such a wildcard in the draft. I hated the Nets five-man class last year, and time will tell how it pans out. I don’t really like the names associated with the Nets this year, either. It appears this is shaping up to be Nate Ament vs. Darius Acuff, and while I’m not as high on Acuff as others are, he’s still the better option out of the two in my eyes. Acuff’s offensive production was unreal at Arkansas, but I fear he’s going to need to maintain his greatness on that end of the floor because his defense is full of red flags. Maybe he can do it, but I’m skeptical of his shot selection and if he’s really going to be a 44 percent three-point shooter long-term in the league. I know what you’re thinking: didn’t the Nets draft a bunch of ball handlers last year? Yes, but this is the Nets, the roster is terrible and their draft strategy doesn’t make any sense. I feel bad for the cool Brooklyn fans out there.
The Bucks at No. 10: I had Milwaukee taking Labaron Philon at No. 10 last week. This week, Ament falls to the Bucks after Brooklyn passes on him. I certainly wouldn’t take Ament in the top-10 of this draft, but I can see the appeal for a tall forward who potentially spaces the floor and adds some supplemental rim protection. If the Bucks finally trade Giannis, they are fully resetting their timeline to zero, and Ament would have a long leash to develop.
SECAUCUS, NJ - AUGUST 20: Deputy Commissioner of the NBA, Mark Tatum holds up the card of the Phoenix Suns after they get the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft during the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery on August 20, 2020 at the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ten days. That is all that separates the Phoenix Suns from the 2026 NBA Draft. Sure, the draft technically begins in 9 days, and current FanDuel projections have BYU’s AJ Dybantsa going first overall. But the Suns won’t be involved in any of that. They don’t own a first-round pick. Instead, the Memphis Grizzlies will make the selection that would have belonged to Phoenix based on the results of the 2025-26 season. Memphis currently holds the 16th overall pick, while the Suns are left with the 17th pick in the second round, No. 47 overall.
But is that how things will ultimately play out? And more importantly, is that what we want?
The fan base appears pretty split on the subject. According to this week’s poll, 58% of Suns fans believe the team should make a trade and move up in the draft. The remaining 42% believe Phoenix should stand pat and select at No. 47.
Honestly, I can see both sides. If you want to move up in the draft, it isn’t free. It’s going to cost something. Unfortunately, the Suns don’t have an abundance of assets at their disposal. Unless we’re talking about attaching future second-round picks, something Phoenix is already short on, the most likely outcome is that the team stays where it is and makes a selection at No. 47.
And that’s where the real question begins. What is the responsible move for the organization at this point in time? Is this a season in which patience makes the most sense? Should the Suns stay put, continue evaluating what they have, see who they become under this new direction, and then make more aggressive draft decisions a year from now?
Those are all fair questions.
Personally, I’d love to see the Suns move into the front half of the second round. No, you’re probably not drafting a future All-Star. But if it only costs a couple of second-round picks to move up in what is considered a deep draft, I think it’s worth exploring. And if you’re asking me who I’d target? I’d love to see them go after Zuby Ejiofor out of St. John’s. That would feel like a slam dunk selection for Phoenix.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer. Ten days from now, we’ll have our answer.
NBA Finals courtside tickets sold for more than $100,000 as the New York Knicks pushed for their first NBA championship since 1973, a feat clinched Saturday night. In Madison Square Garden, much of the front row was occupied by celebrities, including Taylor Swift, who attended Game 4.
On Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who the Knicks defeated in the conference finals, will soon find out how valuable those seats are after the games are done.
In partnership with authenticated memorabilia marketplace The Realest, Cleveland is auctioning the chair Swift sat in during the Cavs’ Eastern Conference finals series against New York. As of Saturday evening, the top bid was $7,000. Travis Kelce’s spot is also available, as are chairs used by Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Machine Gun Kelly.
“I’m definitely surprised at how much attention it’s gotten,” Cavaliers chief marketing officer Chris Kaiser said. Earlier this year, the team sold a seat used by LeBron James when the Lakers visited for $1,905. But the Cavs didn’t stop there. For $245 more, a collector grabbed the grip powder LeBron used during his signature pre-game routine.
“Anything that our authenticators can put their eyes on and mark, it’s all fair game,” Kaiser said.
The definition of sports memorabilia has expanded in recent years alongside a boom in collecting and the support of companies like The Realest, which has developed an expertise in authenticating off-beat items, from Lincoln Financial Field snow to a Ryder Cup rake. Kaiser is hopeful that the team’s eye-catching offerings will also generate awareness of more traditional auction items. The highest price paid this year was for a James Harden jersey worn during his home debut with the team in February.
Working with The Realest and selling the items directly will give fans more confidence in their authenticity, Kaiser said. The team is already considering in-arena activations, such as the ability to bid on a night’s game-used ball up until the final buzzer. By this time next year, Kaiser said, he anticipates the Cavs’ memorabilia offerings representing a mid-six-figure business.
Days after the virtual gavel bangs on Taylor Swift’s chair, Cleveland will drop another collection of items. Coming up soon: the ceremonial sword several celebs and former players have held aloft as part of the team’s pregame ceremonies.
As for what a fan might do with such a saber? That’s up for the highest bidder to decide.
The 2026 NBA Finals finished up last night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, with the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks, which was making their first championship appearance since the 1998-1999 season, defeating the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs for the title. For the Knicks, it was their first NBA championship since 1973.
Both teams have drafted players near and far when it comes to constructing their rosters as athletes are dotted along each roster hailing from states within the country and around the world. The starting players from New York all played a role in helping bring the Big Apple a title, but where did the Knicks’ players all play in high school boys hoops at?
Rivals went through the entire roster for the 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks, giving to you where each of the players starred on the prep boys basketball scene.
New York Knicks: Where did they play in high school?
Before Brunson arrived to the Big Apple and became the face of the Knicks, he was a high school hoops star out of the Prairie State. The point guard was a five-star product coming out of Adlai Stevenson High School and had plenty of accolades along the way. Brunson led Adlai Stevenson to the 2015 IHSA Class 4A state championship, and was also a McDonald’s All-American in addition to being Illinois Mr. Basketball.
One of the most versatile players for the Knicks heading into tonight’s showdown with the Spurs is Anunoby, who played his high school boys hoops out of the Show Me State of Missouri. During his hay day as a three-star forward prospect, Anunoby averaged 19 points, 8.6 rebounds as a senior and was a Missouri Mr. Basketball finalist.
Whether Bridges is asked to cover guards on the perimeter or needed to head into the painted area and snag rebounds, he’s a do-it-all type player for New York. The former Villanova star played his high school boys basketball at Great Valley, earning Class AAAA all-star selectee and Philadelphia-area honors.
The big man for the New York Knicks has been the next biggest star next to Brunson throughout this playoff run, which has brought the franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance in nearly three decades. Towns was a five-star prospect out of Saint Joseph where he won multiple state championships and was a McDonald’s All-American.
Another former Villanova product has shined on the big stage for New York and will look to do so again beginning tonight in Texas. Hart back in his high school boys basketball playing days was a four-star shooting guard prospect, ranking as the state’s No. 2 player and No. 12 at his position. Hart was a First-team All-Met selection and led Sidwell Friends to a 22-9 record his senior campaign.
The 7-foot, 222-pound center will likely be tasked with covering arguably the league’s top player in Victor Wembanyama throughout the series because of his length and agility. Robinson was a can’t miss prospect out of the Pelican State, ranking as a five-star prospect before heading off to play collegiately at Western Kentucky. Robinson finished his high school career at Chalmette after being at Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest, named a McDonald’s All-American and averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds per game.
McBride is a rotation player for the Knicks that will be expected to play key minutes throughout the NBA Finals. Before his days in the NBA and collegiately, however, McBride starred at Archbishop Moeller where he led the Crusaders to multiple state titles and earned all-state honors.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Clarkson tonight as he will play in a city where he made a name for himself on the high school boys basketball scene. In his senior season out of the Lone Star State, Clarkson was named San Antonio Player of the Year before playing collegiately at Missouri.
Played his college days at Georgia Tech after his high school boys basketball career playing for one of New York’s top teams in Christ The King Regional. There with the Lions, Alvarado his junior season was the CHSAA Player of the Year and notched the ultra-rare quadruple-double in a game his senior year.
Sochan was one of the best high school boys basketball players out of the state of Tennessee coming out, rated as a four-star forward before playing at Baylor University. The forward played at a number of schools during and after his high school days, including Itchen College (UK), La Lumiere School (Indiana; junior year) and eventually played professionally in Germany.
When it comes to little or no fanfare coming out of high school, but ending up playing at the highest level, that’s the story for Shamet. The guard played mostly at Bartram Trail (Fla.) before heading to Park Hill and eventually collegiately at Wichita State.
Dadiet didn’t play any high school boys basketball within the states as he starred at Saint-Charles Charenton for nearly a decade before entering the professional world of hoops. The 6-foot-9, 217-pound forward for the Knicks could see rotational time in the Finals series.
A Rhode Island high school boys basketball standout before heading to college and the pros, Kolek was the 2019 Rhode Island Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year after scoring 1,000 points his senior year and earning all-state honors.
Hukporti is another international player that developed outside of the United States before jumping into the NBA. The 7-foot, 245-pound center spent a majority of his time in the German youth basketball system before playing professionally in Austraila and Europe.
Another player that played his high school boys basketball growing up in the San Antonio area and now will be back in the city is McCullar, who like Clarkson also played at Wagner. McCullar re-classed and graduated early to play collegiately at Texas Tech before moving on to Kansas.
Rounding out the list of 16 players heading into tonight’s NBA Finals is Jones, who is the lone representative of the Knicks from the state of Kansas. Jones for his first three years of high school boys basketball played at W.J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina where he won a SCHSL Class 3A state crown before heading to Sunrise Christian Academy for his senior season.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Mason Plumlee #45 of the San Antonio Spurs arrives to the arena before the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If we learned anything from the San Antonio Spurs in June, it’s that this is not the franchise we saw when Gregg Popovich coached there.
The Spurs blew three games they should have won, and crumbled in the fourth quarter nearly every game, including in Game 5 Saturday night, which means that former Blue Devil Mason Plumlee will not get a ring in what may be his final season.
The truth though is that there is no way to argue that the Spurs deserved to win. The Knicks, however, certainly did, and not least of all Jalen Brunson. He was magnificent again in Game 5. He’s relatively normal, athletically speaking. He’s not like Ja Morant or Anthony Edwards. He has to rely on hard work and smarts, and in the end, the Spurs couldn’t begin to counter him. No one is more deserving.
Part of the problem for San Antonio was simply youth. Their three foundational pieces, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Victor Wembanyama, are all under 22. It’s astonishing that a team that young got that far, really.
Those guys are the rising Big Three for the Spurs. The rest of the team? Who cares? No one else is indispensable. Let’s see what the front office does in the next few weeks to shore up Wemby, Castle, and Harper. It’s probably asking too much, but with Jaylen Brown allegedly on the trading block, that’s a fun potential move.
Whatever it is, they’ll have to do something. Devin Vassell and De’Aaron Fox are clearly insufficient. One thing they could use is a bruiser to help protect Wemby. With the 20th pick, the Spurs could choose between guys like Jayden Quaintance, Joshua Jefferson, Koa Peat and Tarris Reed, all of whom could be useful rebounders, defenders, and enforcers.
As for the Knicks, what an amazing run. As Brunson said in his postgame interview, this team just found a way. It’s a tired comment that most teams say after winning, but it’s never been more true. The Spurs buckled in multiple games, but New York was ready to take advantage of their mistakes and miscues. When it started to happen again Saturday, you kind of knew what was going to happen. The Spurs are just too young and inexperienced to make winning plays.
Give them a couple of years, though. They are not going anywhere, and as painful as this loss is, they’ll learn from it.
On his podcast, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said he believes the Celtics are going to acquire Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and thinks they’ll do it in the next week.
Bill Simmons says that Giannis will land in Boston as early as next week:
"I think Boston's going to get Giannis, And I think it will happen in the next week." pic.twitter.com/J7Qw02tlHb
The Antetokounmpo rumors have gotten louder as the week has gone on and many believe it is about the Bucks and Celtics finding a third team to take Jaylen Brown to get it across the finish line.
Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA, a 2-time MVP, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, champion and Finals MVP. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in a down year that was headlined by injuries as he played in just 36 games.
Over the prior three seasons, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in 203 games.
It is wildly expected that Jaylen Brown goes out the door in any deal. Brown just had the best season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season.
San Antonio led by double digits in all five games, including a 29-point second-half lead in Game 4 that quickly evaporated under a hail of poor shot selection, and at the end of the game, a decision by De'Aaron Fox not to dribble out the clock, which could have swung the series in their favor.
So, while the Spurs have all summer to ponder what-ifs, they should be right back in the fold in the Western Conference next season.
While still only 22 years of age, Wembanyama sometimes showed his age during the playoffs, committed stupid flagrant fouls, hoisted ill-advised threes, and did not ask to be taken out of the game when he was clearly fatigued. That responsibility also lies at the feet of head coach Mitch Johnson, who also failed to use timeouts in a desperate manner when settling down his young squad would have been the smart move.
Wembanyama averaged 39.7 minutes per game in the series, averaging 26.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game – one of six Spurs who averaged double figures in scoring in the series.
Wembanyama's supporting cast is solid, but one thing needs to be clear. Game 5 should be the final game that Dylan Harper starts on the bench. The rookie led San Antonio with 25 points, and at times could not be stopped no matter what Knicks defender tried to stand in his way.
The team doesn't need much: they ranked third in points scored, fourth in offensive efficiency and third in defensive efficiency.
The bottom line is they have the tools to win the championship.
But in the Finals, they relied too much on third-point shooting, and while that got them a record 14 in the first half of Game 4, they still lost the game because they had no alternative when those shots didn't fall in the second half. A proven three-point shooter should be first on the mind of general manager Brian Wright. The NBA catchword is spacing, and as Wembanyama gets stronger and plays more in the paint, San Antonio would be better off with shooters who could make teams pay for trying to bully Wembanyama.
Whether Wembanyama needs some maturity (pointing to his head after drawing a Game 4 flagrant on Mitchell Robinson) or is being overly confident, saying "everybody knows we're gonna do it," when referring to the team's chances at coming back from a 3-1 series deficit, is a matter of debate depending on who is doing the debating.
“One of many things I’ve learned is the margin of error is very, very thin,” Wembanyama said after the Game 5 loss. “Our domination instincts are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series. But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard. We can’t have ups and downs like this, the ups are okay, the downs are the reason we lost.
As far as next year's roster turnover, there shouldn't be much of it. The team should be able to replenish the bench, as none of the six unrestricted free agents were part of the regular rotation in the playoffs. A savvy veteran who has playoff experience and is seeking a title run wouldn't hurt.
Small forward Julian Champagnie, a starter who averaged 11 points during the finals, has a $3 million club option for next season.
“This is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment,” Wembanyama said . “I can’t tell exactly what the lesson is, but we’re learning.”
If they want to get back to the championship series in the near future, the Spurs need to pinpoint that lesson.
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 8: Head Coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Miami Heat on October 8, 2025 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Lots of emotions flowed through Frost Bank Center last night. An estimated 44% of tickets purchased for Game 5 were done so by New York Knicks fans, so when the final buzzer reigned in a champion, their fans were there to cheer them through the trophy presentation.
In the press room, Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson and members of the Spurs took turns answering questions just moments after the reality set in that there was no tomorrow to the 2025-2026 season.
‘The general sentiment is just I want them to feel all the emotions. I feel that, too,“ stated Johnson. ”Whatever they feel, that’s real. That’s what is competitiveness. That’s what makes you better. That’s what pushes you to continue to improve in the dark, long hours when nobody is around. We improved a whole lot this year. We still have a lot now. More motivation to continue to get better.“
Victor Wembanyama, who has been open about his emotions throughout the season, did not hold back his frustration. But already permeating through the loss is his hope and positivity for what is to come.
“I think that compared to anything before, this is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment,” he stated in his postgame conference. “I can’t tell you exactly what the lesson is, but we’re learning from that, for sure. I’m learning more than any other time in my life before.”
Fans have seen Wembanyama’s reaction to big losses. The video of France losing to Team USA (and the genesis of the “feud” between him and Chet Holmgren) when he was a youngster. The 2024 Olympic loss to Team USA. And now his first foray into the NBA Finals. Wemby is facing temporary heartache, but has long-term gains to reap from the 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,“ he shared. ”It’s been hard and full of lessons.“
Devin Vassell, the second longest tenured member of the Spurs roster, gave a shout to the fans who’ve been with the team through thick and thin.
“First off to the fans, just thank you guys so much for supporting us, especially in my journey being here six years, from where we started from the 20 wins we were at to being in the Finals,” Vassell said. “They’ve been loyal. I just want to say thank you to them. Without them and the noise, having our backs, we’re not in this situation, we’re not in this position. Thank you to them.“
Dylan Harper said he’d remember “The chemistry, how everyone blended. Really the sacrifices we all made to be in the position we were in.”
And Julian Champagnie had a message for everyone: “We’ll be back again next year.”
There were so many positives in these Finals for the Spurs to build upon. The lessons will take shape over the summer and their hope is it will carry them into next season with more awareness and better preparation.
“I think with these games in the Finals, it just shows that every possession matters and every little detail matters,” stated Vassell. “You can mess up some stuff in the regular season and still kind of get away with it. 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.”
Dylan Harper, after completing his rookie season as the youngest player in NBA Finals history to score 20+ points in a game shared, “It meant a lot. Whole lot to grow on. Whole lot to learn on. At the end of the day, this is my first year. Can’t keep moving forward if you don’t got a positive attitude. Obviously we lost and I wanted to win that, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to bounce back.”
‘I learned one of many things, the margin of error is very thin,“ Wembanyam stated. ”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.“
Perhaps Mitch Johnson said it best. “I hope they take the same thing that we’ve taken from our success. I hope it leads to them be hungrier than they’ve ever been, and I hope it leads them to be more motivated than they’ve ever been, and hopefully that leads them to be more — yeah, just to continue to improve in every facet.”
In the coming days and weeks, much will be said about the collapse of the young, inexperienced team. But what will be made clear was how the Spurs responded with real time adjustments. After each loss, they were able to reset. In the end, they knocked out the Minnesota Timberwolves who’d been to the Western Conference Finals for the last two years. They also knocked out the 2025 Champion OKC Thunder in their series, taking Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
In these Finals, unfortunately, the Knicks were able to cover their mistakes better than the Spurs. From Brunson’s struggles in Games 1 and 2, to Karl-Anthony Towns disappearance in Game 5 (as well as his fourth quarter struggles throughout the series), the Knicks were the same one or two mistakes, one or two calls, one or two missed shots away from watching the Spurs hoist the Larry O’Brien. Simple twists of fate have given New York their first title since 1973, the year the San Antonio bought the Dallas Chaparrals and created the Spurs.
Over the last 53 seasons, the Spurs have had ups and downs, more ups compared to other franchises. The pairing of Gregg Popovich with Tim Duncan created one of sports greatest love stories. With the addition of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and supporting casts throughout Duncan’s nineteen seasons, the Spurs became a model franchise winning five NBA titles in three different decades.
Make no mistake, this modern-day Spurs team is special, and like their predecessor, they are not going away. They are developing at a rapid rate. And boasting one of the most gifted basketball minds as their cornerstone, the Spurs are poised to dominate for years to come.
Make no mistake, this Finals was just the beginning. They may have not been ready this season, but when they are — watch out.
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 07: Caleb Wilson #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Dean E. Smith Center on February 07, 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards are almost certain to pick either AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. They’re both impressive prospects who’d warrant being the top selection in nearly any draft. But 2026 is a rare year with four elite prospects who would normally be considered The Guy.
So far in this series, we’ve looked at Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer. Also check out the current Big Board, according to Ye Olde Draft Analyzer (YODA), my stat-based draft prospect evaluation tool. Today, let’s look at why Caleb Wilson might be the perfect player for the Wizards at No. 1.
Could Caleb Wilson be the right choice for the Washington Wizards at No. 1? | Getty Images
Wilson doesn’t warrant No. 1 overall status because of his offense. Although he was extremely efficient (128 offensive rating) on high usage (28.7%), he shot just 7-27 from three-point range — low volume and inaccurate. He shot just 71.3% from the free throw line. Not terrible, but not exactly a harbinger of future long-range success.
I’ll pause to make a limited observation. There’s another forward who shot poorly from deep in college (25.0%), was unimpressive from the free throw line (74.4%) and turned into a great NBA shooter (39.1% career percentage on threes; 86.3% career on free throws). That other forward is Kawhi Leonard.
Let me reemphasize the limited nature of the Leonard observation. I’m not comparing the players directly. I’m not saying Wilson will, can, or might be The Next Kawhi. The point is that things like NCAA shooting and the signals we look for in the numbers are not automatics. A guy shooting great in college usually means he’ll be at least good in the NBA. And players who shoot poorly in college usually aren’t good shooters in the NBA.
But not always.
Wilson, for example, is 19-years-old. Many players improve their shooting as they get older, stronger, and put in the work. In Wilson’s case, the biggest reason to think his shooting won’t improve is that it hasn’t. His lack of shooting ability has been a known flaw in his game before he got to North Carolina. It’s still an issue.
And that pre-NCAA experience might be where the Leonard example breaks down. The available evidence suggests Leonard was a competent distance shooter in high school and amateur ball, and that his San Diego State numbers might have been something of an aberration. Tough to say — it turns out, predicting the future of teenagers isn’t an exact science.
Anyway, the point of this digression is to say that shooting isn’t the reason to choose Wilson No. 1. It’s everything else.
With the exception of shooting, Wilson’s statistical production is up there with Boozer and anyone else in the draft. He checks the boxes for rebounding (at both ends), passing (3.4 assists per 40 with a 1.4 assists-to-turnovers ratio), steals (1.9 per 40) and blocks (1.8).
This season, he posted 15.7 rebounds + steals + blocks per 40 — ninth best in the draft behind only centers and Allen Graves. In other words, Wilson was an impactful and active defender who put in work on the boards to end defensive possessions and prolong offensive possessions for his team. That’s valuable.
Wilson is lanky and athletic (unlike Boozer, who’s slower and more ground-bound). He’s an effective, perhaps elite, defender, and he has potential to grow significantly on the offensive end. As noted previously, he was hyper-efficient on high usage despite not being a three-point threat or shooting a high percentage from the free throw line.
And there’s a signal in the numbers indicating he was an absolute handful for NCAA competition — 9.6 free throw attempts per 40 minutes. That’s a tick behind Dybantsa and George Washington’s Rafael Castro (9.7) for the top spot in this category in the 2026 draft. In other words, the free throw attempts indicate the opposition couldn’t compete with him without fouling. That’s not always predictive of NBA success, but it’s a good sign.
Now, the FanDuel odds are unchanged. Wilson is a long-shot to go No. 1. It’s still looking like Dybantsa or maybe Peterson. But any of the top four prospects could turn out to be the best player from this draft, and there’s a case that Wilson could be that guy.
