Category: NBA

Welcome back to the third edition of the Mock Draft Dive, where we’re looking at who draft pundits predict the Celtics to take in the upcoming draft. 

We are less than two weeks out from the draft, and with Giannis rumors swirling and the Finals close to their conclusion, everything feels up in the air. Do the Celtics even stand pat at No. 27? It’s a divisive question, and one we’ve pretty much experienced on an annual basis since Brad Stevens took over team-building decision-making.  

But what’s a mock draft dive without a pick to talk about? Let’s just all embrace the hypothetical for now. First we looked at the prospects of selecting Karim Lopez (which is seeming more unlikely with each passing week), then Arizona’s Koa Peat (that still feels possible). Now, we turn to the faux-front office decision of selecting Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson based on a mock from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. 

Here’s what Sam had to say about the selection: 

“Jefferson’s basketball IQ is exceptionally high, something that would play well in Boston under Joe Mazzulla’s scheme, where quick decision-making is critical. He defends well and makes fast decisions on that end, plus he passes exceedingly well. His range is seen as somewhere from the 20s into the early second round.”

-Sam Vecenie

As far as non-lottery prospects go, Jefferson was pretty high up there for one of my favorite scouting reports to build. And dogonnit (I’m not allowed to swear on the blog, but imagine I’m swearing), the fit makes a good deal of sense. 

A passing maestro with a well-rounded game, what Jefferson lacks in top-tier athletic traits he makes up for with a high IQ and an unselfish play style. At 22 years old and with 130 college games under his belt, Jefferson closed his second season at Iowa State averaging 16 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists on the way to All-American and All-Big 12 honors. 

The Iowa State star’s passing is the obvious focal point of his game, translating into his post-ups, off-the-dribble kickouts and transition outlets. His touch is impeccable, and his vision among the very best in this class, if not the best in the class. 

I wish I could properly explain just how instinctual his playmaking is. Arguably the most entertaining thing about watching Jefferson no-look a pass to a cutter is not actually the play itself, but what comes immediately after: the opponent’s sluggish reaction. 

Watch a highlight reel and count how many times you see a group of defenders crowding the paint physically melt into their shoes as they stare at an uncontested layup that snuck right past them. 

Imagine thinking you have all the bases covered. Everyone’s communicating, shifting to the ball, closing off passing lanes. Maybe you send help on the ball to ramp up pressure as the shot clock dwindles. Yeah, maybe they get a shot off, but it won’t be a good one, and then, in less than a second, the ball hits Jefferson’s hands and is instantly re-routed into unaccounted space. 

How defeating. 

As the central figure to head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s offense, Jefferson made the lives of his teammates so much easier. There are great post passers out there, there are forwards that can run a delay action and hit cutters from the top of the arc, and there are fast break kick-starters that can push the ball ahead. Jefferson did all of that, all the time, in every game I watched. 

For the Celtics specifically, I’m imagining that passing impact coming as a short-roll threat, something the Celtics lost a bit of after their free agency overhaul last summer. 

The Celtics aren’t just looking for a playmaking forward though. It’s Jefferson’s calling card, but what about the rest of his offense? 

As a shooter, he’s clearly been putting in the work to grow that part of his game, and his confidence doesn’t appear to be a significant issue, but there are big questions about how much of a threat he is as an outside shooter. 

Jefferson attempted 110 3-pointers this past season after just 147 attempts across his first three years in college, and he was just okay. He shot 34.5% from deep, largely coming out of pick-and-pops. Those are the threes you want to see Jefferson look comfortable shooting. 

If he can pick-and-pop, and a defense has to respect it, that only makes things easier when he’s looking to keep the ball moving. 

But the shot has to be respected. And at the moment, I can’t imagine a defense putting too much attention towards a hard closeout. 

Beyond his outside shooting, Jefferson loves to get into a post-up, but the way he sets up shop actually makes it a more reasonable transition into the NBA game, even if it’s not something you’d see a ton of as his usage and volume gets significantly cut down.

He’s not a “take it on the block and clear out” kind of player. He’s capable of working his way into the paint with a live dribble, and he’s generally quick to make a decision of attacking through the defender with intent to score or pushing the ball back out to a shooter. 

On defense, Jefferson is a good rebounder and a capable shot-blocker, but his lack of vertical pop certainly hurts his chances of being a high-level rim protector. 

A lot of his best interior defense came in help situations, finishing the play by swooping in for a swat attempt. Tasked with defending a back-down big, he’s probably not going to deter too many rim attempts. 

Iowa State often utilized him as a help defender, taking advantage of non-shooters left in the corner, but in pick-and-roll coverages, it was a lot of hedges and drops, both of which he was adept at without giving up advantages. While he doesn’t play too high above the ground, he does move his feet well when dropping back. 

He anticipates passes well when roaming, and is a disciplined straight-up shot-contestor, so he should be at the very least a serviceable power forward option, but it does pose an interesting question of how he fits in Boston on that end. 

In their current form, the Celtics preferred Neemias Queta to be the roamer protecting the rim, and in an ideal world, a switchable power forward would take the brunt of the interior ball-stopping to buy time for Queta to provide shot-blocking reinforcements. 

Jefferson is sort of like if the versatility of Kyle Anderson was placed in a more traditional power forward form. He has one elite skill in his playmaking, a few quality skills in his post scoring and help defense, and some question marks in his outside shooting and athletic makeup. 

One of the draft’s older prospects, he offers a high floor for early rotation opportunities, which works for the Celtics if they’re opting for an “improve on the fringes” offseason philosophy. 

Consider me on-board with the pick if that’s the route they ultimately go.  

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Where do you stand on Jefferson as a possible Celtics selection?

"We care way more about the Knicks than the World Cup right now."

New York is witnessing a moment of sports history - and it has nothing to do with football.

On Saturday night the New York Knicks clinched their first NBA championship in 53 years with a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs, and the long-awaited victory sent fans into a frenzy.

Fewer than 10 miles away, Brazil faced Morocco in the sixth game of the football World Cup, but it was at Madison Square Garden where scenes were electric.

Thousands of fans gathered - around the home of the Knicks that is often referred to as 'the mecca of basketball' - for an outdoor watch party, despite the game being played in Texas.

Nearby bars were overflowing with anxious New Yorkers who hung on every shot and call during the incredibly close game five in the best-of-seven series.

It is an interesting position for a city in the middle of co-hosting the World Cup.

"People live and shed tears here for basketball," Knicks fan Raymond Yu told the BBC.

"We care way more about the Knicks than the World Cup right now."

While Americans were never considered the biggest football fans in the world, New York in particular - with its diverse communities - always had a stronger tie to the game. But the Knicks' win has overshadowed the World Cup for now.

At the Molly Wee Pub, when a win seemed likely a young college student remarked to his friends: "Oh my god, I'm going to see the Knicks win the Finals. I can't believe it."

Once it was official, he and everyone else in the bar rushed into the streets screaming at the top of their lungs and embracing complete strangers.

The celebrations swelled and lasted well into the early hours of the morning, with people climbing light poles and setting off fireworks, while police on foot and even horseback tried to make sure the chaos was controlled.

Among them was Matthew Sorbonne, who told BBC Sport what the win meant to him.

"I watched them since I was a kid. This means everything to me. For 25 straight years they've been garbage. Finally we have a win," he said.

• Knicks end 53-year wait for NBA Championship
• USA start World Cup in style - but will they finally join the elite?

New York prepares for Knicks celebrations

This victory, for a fanbase used to disappointment and heartbreak, is a dream come true.

New York's mayor Zohran Mamdani very quickly announced that a ticker tape parade down the canyon of heroes would be held on Thursday for the Knicks. City Hall and municipal buildings across the city will also be illuminated in blue and orange on that day to celebrate the victory.

Mamdani said: "New Yorkers have cheered for our team from packed living rooms in the Bronx to watch parties in Brooklyn, from bars in Queens to Staten Island to Manhattan, and Madison Square Garden itself. Now it's time for our city to celebrate together. Bing bong."

That, along with the Knicks players' return from San Antonio, will preoccupy this city with basketball for a few more days.

Even those wearing football jerseys on the streets of Manhattan admitted the World Cup could never match this excitement in the US.

Wearing a Lionel Messi jersey, Jeff, who did not give his surname, said that, while he liked the Argentina legend, the Knicks were more important at the moment than the World Cup. "Messi has a championship. I want the Knicks to get one," he said.

New Yorkers have also been waiting longer for a Knicks win than the opportunity to host another World Cup, which was last hosted by the US in 1994.

But with the city riding on good vibes from the Knicks, that could easily spill into upcoming World Cup matches.

In fact, the end of the series means avoiding a nightmare scenario where game six of the NBA Finals would have clashed with the France-Senegal game in the city on Tuesday.

One fan said he would try to watch some World Cup matches, given he has enjoyed seeing fans from other countries in New York showing their pride and seeing their love of the sport.

Those international fans probably did not realise they would also get to experience New York's true passion.

• How to watch the World Cup on the BBC

There were chaotic scenes on the streets of New York on Saturday night as huge crowds gathered to celebrate their team’s victory in the NBA finals.

The New York Post reported that “out of control” fans smashed a police car outside Madison Square Garden. Footage also showed officers shoving crowds back as fans jumped on cars.

NYPD officers in riot gear moved in to disperse large crowds of Knicks fans who flooded the streets near Madison Square Garden following the game. pic.twitter.com/x2MCzK3y4v

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 14, 2026

Hundreds of police in riot gear raced to the area and officers were present on horseback as flares were lit and fireworks set off in the middle of Sixth Avenue. Frank Sinatra’s New York and Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind rang out from speakers. 

Other footage showed projectiles thrown at police and people could also be seen smashing a school bus with makeshift clubs.

NOW: Crowds SMASHING UP the School Bus in Times Square, as Knicks Fans celebrate NBA Title Win

Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 | Licensing @FreedomNTV Desk@freedomnews.tv pic.twitter.com/zdI0L4SmhY

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 14, 2026

“I’ve been doing this job for 20 years and I’ve never had to wear riot gear,” a police officer told the New York Post. The report described “a frenzied mass” that took over Times Square soon after James Dolan, the Knicks owner, pleaded for calm.

“We want everybody tonight, in New York, be safe,” Dolan said. “OK, celebrate, but be safe.”

The match that confirmed the Knicks’ victory took place in San Antonio, Texas, against the San Antonio Spurs. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made a surprise appearance in the crowd. He sat beside Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, a few rows back from the court. The Duke was already in Texas for the Warrior Games – an event for wounded, injured or ill military personnel organised by the US government.

Other recognisable faces at the match included Sydney Sweeney, who attended with her boyfriend Scooter Braun, and actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller.

Neither the Duchess of Sussex nor the couple’s children were in attendance at the game, which ended with the New York Knicks claiming their first NBA title since 1973 on the back of a 94-90 win.

The royal couple have made regular appearances at sporting events since their 2020 move to the United States, recently attending an NBA All-Star Game in February.

Harry’s appearance came hours after the King celebrated his official birthday with a ceremony showcasing the British Army’s ceremonial prowess.

Charles took part in the Trooping of the Colour event on Saturday, where military pomp and pageantry were on display in the heart of London.

Future king Prince George of Wales, 12, Princess Charlotte of Wales, 11, and Prince Louis of Wales, 8, watched their grandfather from the first-floor window of the Duke of Wellington’s former office overlooking the parade ground in central London.

Crowds gathered in The Mall to watch the Royal family’s carriage procession from Buckingham Palace, with the King and Queen Camilla in the middle of a Sovereign’s Escort provided by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

The New York Knicks entered the NBA Finals looking to complete a postseason run that had already turned into one of the most dominant stretches in franchise history, with the ’Bockers winning 13 games in a row before just losing one of their final four.

The Knicks put all haters to bed on Saturday night by finishing the job smoothly, defeating the young-and-naive San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 to secure the franchise’s first championship since 1973.

It was a damn struggle for most of the outing, but nobody should have been surprised at that point. The Knicks fell behind early, trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, and as the boys always do, they rallied late to snatch the dub.

At the center of that comeback was (surprise, surprise…) Jalen Brunson, who delivered the defining performance of the series and, perhaps, of his whole career.

JALEN BRUNSON IS THE 2026 NBA FINALS MVP!

Brunson averaged 32.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.6 APG in the NBA Finals, leading the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years 🏆 pic.twitter.com/dsfOMsrjyr

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2026

Brunson dropped 45 points on the Spurs’ foreheads in the clincher, shooting 14-of-27 from the field and 13-of-15 from the free-throw line while adding three rebounds, three assists, and an overall +10 plus/minus.

JB was also the man tasked with igniting the final push, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks erase a late deficit and clinch their first title in 53 long years.

“I got no words. Everything I ever dreamed of,” Brunson said right after the final buzzer. “I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

The performance capped a Finals in which Brunson averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, leading to his unanimous selection as NBA Finals MVP.

“It’s everything I dreamed of,” Brunson said. “This is why I picked New York.”

"The 2026 NBA Finals MVP is the Captain, Jalen Brunson!"

Bill Russell Trophy winner, @jalenbrunson1! pic.twitter.com/m9wUgHhy5N

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2026

Brunson received all 11 media votes following the Game 5 victory, and he became just the second Knicks player in history to win Finals MVP, joining Willis Reed, who earned both awards from the ’70s chips.

Brunson’s Game 5 effort also placed him in rare historical air, as he became just the fourth player to score 45 or more points in a title-clinching game, matching Michael Jordan and being only surpassed by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bob Pettit, who both dropped 50-burgers.

“Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it,” Brunson said. “We’re going to find a way, whatever you put in front of us.”

Brunson, who signed with New York in 2022, has now led the franchise from a perennial rebuilding into a bona fide championship contender, making two trips to the conference semis, one to the conference finals, and finally leading them to the promised land this summer.

The Knicks’ victory ended a 53-year title drought, and we can only thank Captain Cluth.

Shout-out, Jalen Brunson.

Jalen Brunson. NBA Champion. Finals MVP.

Hard work pays off 🏆 pic.twitter.com/I2DdZIruM6

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 14, 2026

Now’s not their time. 

But it’s just a matter of time.  

Victor Wembanyama sprinted onto the championship stage earlier than anyone anticipated, showing the basketball world that it’ll soon be in his 7-foot-4 shadow. 

But the Spurs came up short in the NBA Finals against the Knicks, a team of destiny who brought a long-suffering fanbase joy with their first championship in 53 years. The Knicks wanted it more. They deeply knew the rarity of this opportunity.

The Spurs are next. Not right now. 

Their youth showed at the end of games. Their inexperience was their kryptonite. In a series in which the five games were decided by an average of four points, the little moments had monumental importance.

The Knicks won them, punctuated by a 94-90 win in Game 5. The Spurs led by as many as 16 points, but the Knicks came roaring back. The same old broken record played in crunch time, with the Spurs unraveling and the Knicks showing a lethal combination of poise and impeccable execution. De’Aaron Fox committed a bad foul and Wembanyama and Dylan Harper missed free throws. Jalen Brunson soared with a 45-point performance.  

The Spurs could learn a lot from the Knicks. 

The Knicks never met a deficit that scared them. They had the pressure of a famished fanbase putting their hopes and dreams on their every possession. They never got too high or too low. They were steady. Unyielding. 

Wembanyama tried to be a student in real time.

In his playoff debut, he carried the Spurs within three wins of a championship. There were jaw-dropping moments. There were cringe-worthy mistakes. 

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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We saw Wembanyama explode for 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocked shots in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder. We saw him cry tears of joy after sending the reigning champions home in Game 7. We heard him acknowledge that he let the emotions of that series linger a bit too long, carrying them into the championship round. 

We witnessed him emerge as the Knicks fans’ latest villain. We saw the pain on his face after he committed a turnover with 12.7 seconds left in the Spurs’ 105-104 loss in Game 2. We saw his shock after the Spurs gave up a 29-point lead to allow the Knicks to complete the greatest comeback in Finals history in their 107-106 win in Game 4. 

We saw his devastation that the Spurs lost even though they led for 177 minutes, while the Knicks were only ahead for 56 minutes. 

Ultimately, the Spurs let games slip through their fingers like grains of sand, while the Knicks clenched their fists with all their might. 

“This is the biggest lesson of my life, biggest learning moment,” said Wembanyama, who had 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. 

Wembanyama is smart. He’s thoughtful. He’s deep. He’s going to internalize this. At one point, he referred to the Spurs as “spoiled kids” for arriving on this stage so quickly. His raw talent and work ethic are undeniable. But there are often other important ingredients needed for a superstar to carry a team to a championship, such as heartache and failure. 

He should study Brunson. 

The King of New York felt the devastation of falling to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals last postseason. In that series, Brunson was too often on the wrong end of Tyrese Haliburton’s last-second heroics. Brunson made sure that this time around, he was the one inflicting the pain. 

Bruson was sharpened by disappointment. 

Wembanyama will be too. 

“What I’m pissed about is that there’s probably a hundred games before we can be back in the Finals,” Wembanyama said. “I don’t know how to say it in English, but I’m going to have to hold that inside of me and slow down and wait and execute for a hundred games.”

The 22-year-old wants to be the face of the league. He needs to win a championship to accomplish that. We saw why he’s the Defensive Player of the Year in Game 5. He held the Knicks to just six points in the paint in the first half before they finished with 30, a far cry from the 50 they had in Game 1. 

But all of his efforts seemingly were never enough against the Knicks. This series came down to the minutiae. It was won by centimeters. 

The Knicks anticipated that. The Spurs were slapped in the face by that. 

Wembanyama is going to be haunted by throwing the ball off Stephon Castle’s back in the final seconds of Game 2. Fox is going to forever regret going for a layup in Game 4 instead of running out the clock. 

“We absolutely dominated for most of the series,” Wembanyama said. “But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this.”

Ultimately, the Knicks were too tough. They came through in the clutch. They committed fewer errors. 

Wembanyama got his so-called PhD in this series with New York acting as his professor. 

This wasn’t just the Finals. It was the Finals against the Knicks. Against a fanbase that lives and breathes blue and orange. Against an underdog team that was playing as though this was their only chance at this. 

The lights couldn’t have been brighter. President Donald Trump attended a game. Taylor Swift and Timothee Chalamet danced in the hallways at Madison Square Garden after Game 4. The whole world was watching. 

The Spurs weren’t ready for it all. 

They were so close. 

Yet so far. 

In the end, the Knicks were the ones popping champagne. They were the ones with tears of joy welling in their eyes. They were the ones on top of the world. 

Meanwhile, the Spurs were left with crushing disappointment. 

With nothing but painful lessons. 

The New York Knicks ended a 53-year wait for their third NBA Championship with a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks clinched the best-of-seven series 4-1, recovering from a double-figure deficit in all four victories to lift the trophy for the first time since 1973.

The Knicks, who overturned a 29-point deficit in game four to record the biggest comeback win in Finals history, trailed by 16 points in the second quarter and 10 points early in the fourth at Frost Bank Center.

Jalen Brunson, who was unanimously named Most Valuable Player in the Finals, orchestrated their recovery with 45 points, including 15 in the final quarter.

"I have no words. It's everything I dreamed of," he told ESPN.

"I'm in awe. It's why I came to New York.

"Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.

"Whatever you put in front of us, we're going to find a way... every time we step on this court. Every time."

Brunson's haul was a finals franchise record, beating Willis Read's 38 in 1970, and he is only the fourth player in history to score at least 45 points in the title-winning game.

The Knicks trailed by 10 points with less than eight minutes left before Brunson scored 10 unanswered points to tie the game at 83-83.

He scored with just over a minute remaining to put the Knicks 90-88 up, and Josh Hart and OG Anunoby free throws extended the lead to four points.

Although Victor Wembanyana missed a three-pointer for the Spurs, Stephon Castle's dunk brought them back to 92-90 with 16 seconds remaining.

A free throw from Mikal Bridges and Anunoby either side of Dylan Harper's two missed attempts for the Spurs sealed a memorable victory for the Knicks.

Bridges and Hart - Brunson's team-mates from Villanova University - scored a combined 27 points, with Bridges contributing 14 and Hart 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Harper finished with 25 points off the bench for the Spurs, while Wembanyama registered 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

The Spurs became the first team to lead five finals games by at least 10 points in the first quarter.

"We weren't ready. I wasn't ready to win a ring - that's clear," Wembanyana said.

"We're not lacking in talent or ability, but we make too many mistakes. I make too many mistakes."

Wembanyana, the NBA's defensive player of the year, conceded a turnover and a foul on Brunson in the final 10 seconds of game two as the Knicks snatched a 105-104 victory, although his 32 points helped the Spurs win game three 115-111.

"This is the biggest lesson of my life - the biggest learning moment," he said.

"It's painful but I'm not running away from that. I'm using it to fuel me. I'm not satisfied with not winning.

"As a team, there's no better experience than what we just lived."

The New York Knicks spent decades searching for the player who could carry them back to the top of the NBA. On Saturday night, Jalen Brunson removed any remaining doubt that they had found him.

With Karl-Anthony Towns limited to two points and New York struggling offensively for much of the evening, the Knicks’ 6ft 2in floor general erupted for 45 points in a 94-90 victory over the Spurs that delivered the team’s first championship in 53 years and earned him Most Valuable Player honors.

Related: Knicks beat Spurs to win their first NBA title since 1973 as brilliant Brunson shines again

The performance lifted Brunson into rare company. He became only the third player 6ft 3in or shorter to lead a championship team in scoring and win NBA finals MVP, joining Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry. For years, conventional wisdom held that smaller guards needed a larger superstar beside them for a team to win basketball’s biggest prize. Brunson spent this postseason dismantling that notion one game at a time, never more than in Saturday’s pièce de résistance.

“That was unreal, just literally unreal,” Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said afterward. “I’m speechless. I’ve seen it a couple times here and there, but to do it in a closeout game against a good team like that, it’s different.”

Brunson averaged 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists in five games against San Antonio, but his teammates seemed almost as impressed by the manner in which he delivered the championship as the numbers themselves.

“We owe him,” guard Landry Shamet said. “We weren’t great offensively tonight, but he is generationally great offensively.

“There’s really not a whole lot to say. We all saw it. He carried us in a lot of different ways. What he does, it’s not really a surprise to us anymore, being his teammate. But nights like tonight, you’ve got to look at it and really appreciate it.”

Knicks coach Mike Brown used the occasion to make a larger point about Brunson’s place among the league’s elite.

“I’ve said it, and I hope you guys will listen to me, but he’s a top-three MVP candidate,” Brown said. “Everybody kind of mentions his name in passing. They don’t do it seriously enough.

“People say he’s too small. People say he’s a 1B or a 2B or whatever. He is a freaking 1A. He is an MVP candidate.”

Brown then offered the simplest possible assessment.

“He is him.”

Related: NBA finals: Knicks beat Spurs in Game 5 to win first title in 53 years – as it happened

Brunson has never seemed particularly interested in debates about where he ranks among the league’s stars. Asked after the game about the pressure that came with becoming the face of the Knicks franchise, he offered a different definition.

“No pressure whatsoever,” Brunson said. “My dad being on eight or nine unguaranteed contracts throughout his career and not knowing when you’re going to get cut, while your family is on the east coast and you are wherever you are in the country, that’s pressure.”

Brunson said watching his father fight for roster spots throughout his NBA career shaped his perspective.

“I’m just never afraid to fail,” he said.

For Brunson’s oldest brothers-in-arms, the performance felt like the culmination of years of work.

Mikal Bridges first met Brunson as a teenager at Villanova, the small Catholic school on Philadelphia’s Main Line that’s always punched above its weight. A decade after winning national titles together under Jay Wright in 2016 and 2018, the pair are champions again on an even bigger stage.

“I’ve known him for so long,” Bridges said. “I know how much he works, how good of a person he is, how good of a basketball player he is. I’m just grateful to be on his side again.”

Related: Villanova’s second title is even more unfathomable than 1985’s giant-killers

Bridges said Brunson’s influence extends far beyond the box score.

“We follow him,” Bridges said. “It makes it easy for us. Very grateful to have Jalen be that guy, and we just follow his lead.”

For Josh Hart, one of Brunson’s closest friends and a member of the 2016 title team at Villanova before graduating to the NBA, none of it came as a surprise.

“Nah,” Hart said when asked if he was still shocked by Brunson’s brilliance. “We’ve been built for this moment. We’ve been forged in fire. We’ve had a lot of long moments and times and days at ‘Nova and we just continued to build and build and build. I feel like definitely Coach Wright helped us be cut from a different cloth. No matter what the moment is, it’s never too big for us.”

Hart described Brunson and Bridges as “brothers for life” and said winning an NBA title together surpassed even their college exploits. The achievement completed a journey that began at Villanova and made the trio the first teammates in basketball history to win both an NCAA title and an NBA championship together.

“This one takes the cake,” Hart said.

Robinson, the longest-tenured Knicks player, credited Brunson with changing the culture of the organization after arriving as a free agent in 2022.

“His mindset, his work ethic, his energy that he just brings,” Robinson said. “When stuff gets rough, we have a little sit-down talk and he gets us back on track, like a leader, like a captain.”

Brown argued that impact was visible long before Brunson ever stepped onto the court.

“I’ve got to give his mom credit, and I hate to say this but I’m going to give his dad credit, too. He understands what winning is about,” Brown said. “He set the bar before he even stepped on the floor.”

For Brunson, the emotions finally bubbled over after the final buzzer as he spent most of the post-game celebrations fighting back tears with occasional success.

“I walked right to half-court, shook [Spurs coach] Mitch Johnson’s hand, and then turned around and my dad was there,” Brunson said. “Then I just remember Josh talking into my ear and him just saying, ‘We did it. We did it.’”

Asked what it took to score 45 points and carry the Knicks to a long-sought championship, Brunson gave a one-word answer.

“Everything.”

On the biggest night in franchise history, that’s all it took.

SAN ANTONIO — The longest-tenured Knick made the most of his opportunity. 

With Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble, Mitchell Robinson was called upon to play his most minutes of the playoffs. 

He stood tall. 

Robinson not only grabbed 10 rebounds in 20 minutes and helped limit Spurs 7-foot-4 unicorn Victor Wembanyama to 7-of-19 shooting, but he hauled in the biggest offensive rebound of his career, and one of the most important ones in Knicks history. 

With the Knicks ahead by three, Robinson got to a Josh Hart missed free throw with 22 seconds to go. Robinson quickly got rid of the ball and into the hands of OG Anunoby, who hit one of two free throws. 

A former second-round draft pick, Robinson has seen it all as a Knick. He experienced bad times, he experienced good times and now he has experienced the ultimate: A championship, helping to snap the franchise’s 53-year drought. 

Robinson survived being part of teams that lost at least 45 games in three of his first four seasons in the NBA, and he was part of this renaissance under team president Leon Rose and superstar guard Jalen Brunson that has taken him all the way to the sport’s greatest stage. 

Before the finals, Robinson suffered a fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his right hand during the Knicks’ break after sweeping the Cavaliers out of the Eastern Conference finals.

Surgery was required. But Robinson insisted he was never concerned, despite having to wear a black brace on his right hand. 

In the clincher, he came up big.

After years of Knicks pain, Ben Stiller is now on top of the NBA mountain.

The longtime Knicks fan was elated after the team’s 94-90 Game 5 victory that won the franchise its first Finals since 1973.

Stiller, an active X user when it comes to the Knicks, didn’t post anything in the aftermath as of the early hours of Sunday morning.

He was, however, found in the depths of Frost Bank Center wearing an NBA Finals championship T-shirt and hat paired with goggles and Knicks coach Mike Brown’s whiteboard.

"As happy as I've ever felt. It's pretty amazing."

Ben Stiller is filled with joy after the Knicks become champs for the first time in 53 years pic.twitter.com/FKPZgJRCe7

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 14, 2026

Stiller’s sports dream had finally come true.

“As happy as I’ve ever felt,” Stiller told ESPN with a huge smile when asked how he felt following the title win. “It’s pretty amazing. It’s pretty amazing.”

The “Severence” executive producer’s fandom started in the 1973-74 season when he was taken to a game by friends of his father, the late actor Jerry Stiller, and sat eight rows behind the Knicks bench.

It was the same year that started the 53-year championship drought. His fandom was later revived when he moved back to New York from Los Angeles in 2010.

In those years since, Stiller admitted to The Post during the Knicks Finals run that “there was a lot of pain.”

The feeling he had Saturday night was much different than what he’s been told the Knicks are his whole life.

“My whole life I’ve lived with this idea that, ‘Oh, the Knicks aren’t going to make it, the Knicks have never been good, the Knicks have been a joke for a long time back in the day,” Stiller previously said. “It almost became something you accept.”

Once the final buzzer rang, Stiller could be seen filming the Knicks’ reaction on his iPhone.

Several security members tried to keep him at bay, but Stiller seemed to push his way through to get the necessary footage for what has been rumored to be a Knicks playoff and championship project of sorts.

Stiller has been filming often — and not only during the games throughout the playoffs.

He has also filmed while on his walkthrough and security checkpoints into the various arenas, and has been seen among the media at press conferences.

The celebration will only continue for Stiller and the Knicks, who are now flying back to New York and have a championship parade set for Thursday.

SAN ANTONIO — All these years later, Patrick Ewing was able to celebrate a Knicks championship.

A basketball ambassador for the franchise, Ewing was courtside as Jalen Brunson erupted for 45 points to lead the Knicks to their first title in 53 years with a 94-90 victory in Game 5 over the Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Saturday night.

“Fourth time is the charm,” a grinning Ewing said. “’99, I did the same thing I did tonight, just sit and watch and cheer. I take my hat (off) to the team, take my hat off to Jalen. He did an outstanding job with putting us on his back and being able to bring a championship back to New York.”

Twice, Ewing reached the finals with the Knicks, but both times he came up short, in 1994 against the Rockets and 1999 against the Spurs. Ewing was unable to play in the latter series due to injury. He also reached the finals with the Magic in 2009 as an assistant coach. They lost to the Lakers that season.

Saturday night, he saw his old team win it all after over five decades without a crown.

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“It means everything to the city,” he said. “It was a magical run, all the things they were able to accomplish.”

As Ewing was wrapping up an interview, a beaming Karl-Anthony Towns came over and yelled out to Ewing.

“This is for you, Pat,” Towns told him.

Ewing responded: “This guy right here, this is my guy, right here.”

SAN ANTONIO — It wasn’t so long ago, Landry Shamet couldn’t miss a shot.

He became a key part of the Knicks’ explosive second unit. But Shamet has gone ice-cold, and the Knicks’ reserves are no longer making an impact.

It continued in Saturday night’s 94-90 Game 5, championship-clinching win. Shamet, hesitant and clearly lacking confidence, missed five of his seven field goal attempts.

The Knicks’ bench was scoreless until the final minute of the third quarter when Jordan Clarkson got a shot to fall. Before that, the backups missed their first 14 shots from the field.

Spurs super-sub Dylan Harper more than doubled up the Knicks reserves with 25 points.

Shamet played his way into the playoff rotation, carving out a prominent role in the Eastern Conference semifinals when OG Anunoby suffered a mild hamstring strain. In the first two games of the finals, he scored 13 points apiece and was 6-of-13 from 3-point range. But his shot has gone awry since. He was a combined 1-of-11 from the field in the previous two contests, and it didn’t get any better in Game 5.

“Great process, got some great looks, had a few that were down and out,” Shamet said after Game 3. “Process over outcome. I’m more upset about some of the things defensively that I’ve been priding myself on. I had a few possessions where I didn’t do my job like I needed to. That’s fixable. Sometimes the gods give you in and outs and the ball doesn’t go in.”

Shamet wasn’t alone in his shooting woes. McBride went 4-of-20 in the first four games, and wasn’t close on either of his attempts on Saturday night. Clarkson has mostly been a non-factor, in and out of the rotation. After his Game 4 brilliance, Jose Alvarado took a step back, missing all five of his field goal attempts.

In the end, it didn’t matter. The Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought anyway.

The Knicks almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless.

Almost.

The ESPN host and long-suffering Knicks fan was in San Antonio and on the court at Frost Bank Center as the team celebrated the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life covering sports.”@stephenasmith reacts to the Knicks winning their first NBA Finals in 53 years pic.twitter.com/hNVkNiGIhB

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 14, 2026

“I don’t even know how to put it in words because I damn sure didn’t play,” Smith said after the Knicks’ 94-90 NBA Finals-clinching Game 5 win. “I didn’t practice like these guys did, they did it. But it’s been 53 long years, and there’s been so many moments of misery that we had to endure as New York Knick fans.

“And to be here tonight, I gotta confess until this series I never thought it’d happen.”

Smith has lived out the roller coaster of being a Knicks fan on ESPN through the years as he has become one of the biggest stars at the network.

Most of that has consisted of him slamming the franchise as they suffered through years of disappointments.

“So many things have gone wrong: The layups that wasn’t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick] Ewings finger rolls, the Game 7s they didn’t come out on top,” Smith said. “Time after time after time… And to be in attendance witnessing the end of a 53-year drought as born in The Bronx, raised in Hollis, Queens, New York City. I’ve been a New York fan all my life, I never thought I’d see it.”

Now, Smith and millions of other New Yorkers have after the Knicks finished off the Spurs in five games on Saturday night with Jalen Brunson carrying them to a 94-90 victory thanks to a virtuoso fourth-quarter performance and 45 total points.

The Knicks ended up winning 15 of their final 16 playoff games after falling into a 2-1 series hole against the Hawks in the opening round.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Smith said. I can’t put into words how this feels. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life covering sports. I’ve never had a feeling like this. It’s unbelievable.”