New York City celebrates Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years
After a 53-year wait, the New York Knicks captured their first NBA championship, sparking celebrations across New York City. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Manhattan for a historic ticker-tape parade, turning a Thursday workday into a spontaneous holiday as the city honored its victorious team.
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There are levels to everything, even when you are a professional athlete.
Just look at what happened when Jalen Brunson, an NBA champion with the New York Knicks, and Michael Porter Jr., who stars for the Brooklyn Nets on the other side of town, arrived at a venue in a video that has since gone viral.
Brunson, who was alongside his wife, Ali, happened to arrive at a World Cup after-party hosted by Justin Bieber in New York City 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 nightclub in New York City. (GETTY)
Porter may make more than Brunson per season ($40.8 million per season compared to $37.7 million), but the latter has achieved the ultra-rare “King of New York” status.
That means Brunson and his wife don’t need to wait in a queue or make sure they’re on a guest list when arriving anywhere. 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 NBA title in 2023 with the Nuggets, needing to check in at the front door of the venue.
Meanwhile, the Brunson couple walked right through the front door, as camera flashes lit up the area right away.
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks drives on Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Denver Post)
“Mr. Brunson, how are you?” the security guard at the front door said to the NBA Finals MVP.
In New York lore, playing for the Knicks carries a certain weight compared to being in Brooklyn with the Nets. For one, the Knicks are the more iconic franchise, playing in “The Mecca” that is Madison Square Garden. The history, the rabid fans, and of course, this particular group led by Brunson winning the first title in 53 years, has electrified the city more than the Nets have.
The Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012, and though they’ve had some teams with solid NBA All-Stars since then, they are never expected to take over the percentage of Knicks fans across the five boroughs.
The Nets have been in rebuild mode for the past three seasons, including Porter Jr.’s first during 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 third-to-last in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Brunson, his wife Ali Marks and their daughter, Jordyn James Brunson, are seen at the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes on June 18, 2026, in New York City. (GC Images)
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Porter Jr. and Watson didn’t have trouble getting in after checking with the guest list coordinator, but the comparison between the Knicks and Nets got its latest debate topic.
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