New York celebrates Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years
After a 53-year wait, the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship, sparking celebrations across New York City. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Manhattan for a historic parade, turning a Thursday workday into a spontaneous celebration as the city paid tribute to its victorious team.
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There are levels for everything, even when you’re a professional athlete.
Just look at what happened when Jalen Brunson, an NBA champion with the New York Knicks, and Michael Porter Jr., who plays for the Brooklyn Nets across town, arrived at a venue in a video that has since gone viral.
Brunson, who was alongside his wife Ali, arrived at a World Cup afterparty hosted by Justin Bieber in New York at the same time as Michael Porter Jr., who was with his former Denver Nuggets teammate Peyton Watson.
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New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson and Brooklyn Nets star Michael Porter Jr. had two different experiences at a New York nightclub. (GETTY)
Porter may earn more than Brunson per season ($40.8 million per season versus $37.7 million), but the latter has achieved ultra-rare “King of New York” status.
That means Brunson and his wife don’t have to wait in line or make sure they’re on a guest list when they arrive somewhere. Porter, on the other hand, had to do just that.
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The video shows Porter and Watson, who are both champions in their own right after winning the 2023 NBA title with the Nuggets, having to check in at the front door of the venue.
Meanwhile, the Brunson couple walked through the front door, as camera flashes immediately lit up the area.
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks rolls over Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (DenverPost)
“Mr. Brunson, how are you?” » the security guard at the front door told the NBA Finals MVP.
In New York lore, playing for the Knicks carries a certain weight compared to being in Brooklyn with the Nets. On the one hand, the Knicks are the most iconic franchise, playing in the “mecca” that is Madison Square Garden. The history, the rabid fans and of course that particular group led by Brunson winning the first title in 53 years, electrified the city more than the Nets.
The Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012, and while they’ve had a few teams with solid NBA All-Stars since then, they’re never expected to overtake the percentage of Knicks fans in the five boroughs.
The Nets have been in rebuilding mode for the past three seasons, including Porter Jr.’s first in the 2025-26 campaign with Brooklyn. While he enjoyed career highs in points (24.2 per game) and assists (3), the team went 20-62 to finish second to last in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Brunson, his wife Ali Marks and their daughter, Jordyn James Brunson, are seen during the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes on June 18, 2026, in New York. (GC Images)
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Porter Jr. and Watson had no trouble getting in after checking with the guest list coordinator, but the comparison between the Knicks and Nets got its latest topic of debate.
