Knicks revel in NBA victory parade as thousands of fans fill New York's streets

By Gavin Blackburn Published on 18/06/2026 - 21:56 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp New York erupted in jubilant scenes on Saturday when the Knicks broke a 53-year drought to defeat the San Antonio Spurs away in Texas. Tens of thousands of New York Knicks fans flooded Manhattan on Thursday for a heavily guarded victory parade, turning the city into a sea of blue and orange to mark their basketball team's NBA Finals victory. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Chants of "Let's go Knicks" rippled through the dense crowd, made up of some who paid hundreds of dollars for line sitters to wait overnight and save them a space to watch the procession. "The Knicks unite the city unlike any other team. We were starved for so long," said Anthony Martorelli, a 29-year-old retail worker. New York erupted in jubilant scenes on Saturday when the Knicks broke a 53-year drought to defeat the San Antonio Spurs away in Texas. Thursday's parade, organised by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's team, drew a security detail of 10,000 New York police officers, the force's largest ever deployment for a planned event. Public viewing pens to see the parade were already full three hours before the start, the NYPD said, prompting some late arrivals to scramble for alternatives. In one case, dozens of fans scaled a city dump truck, deployed as a security measure, to catch a glimpse of the passing players and trophy. A couple wearing their wedding day finery, a tuxedo and bow tie for the man and a cream dress for the woman, also wove through the crowds. A friend said they would tie the knot later. "I think there's been so much bad around America in the last couple of years and it's really nice to see this," said Martorelli. He spoke as cheers echoed off the skyscrapers dotted around the World Trade Centre, where National Guard troops watched over the area. IT teacher Jeff Gartner, 42, described the parade as "chaos" but said he brought his son along to witness a historic moment. "This is probably a memory he'll live with for the rest of his days," Gartner said. Fans celebrate during the New York Knicks' NBA championship parade in New York, 18 June, 2026 AP Photo 'Means so much' The parade saw the Knicks travel from Bowling Green at the bottom of Manhattan to City Hall, a 10-block route known as the "Canyon of Heroes." They were showered with 1.1 tonnes of recycled confetti, according to the city, part of a ticker-tape parade that traces its origins to the late 1800s. Later, Mamdani awarded the Knicks the symbolic key to the city at City Hall, where Grammy winner Alicia Keys sang "Empire State of Mind," the smash hit she recorded with Jay-Z in 2009. "What a gift it is to be brought together by pure, unfiltered joy," said Mamdani, wearing a blue and orange Knicks jersey over a shirt and tie with a suit jacket. New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown embraces Mayor Zohran Mamdani during the New NBA championship parade in New York, 18 June, 2026 AP Photo "For as long as we live, we will remember this feeling of a city together, a city alive, a city overcome by happiness," he added. Jalen Brunson, named the 2026 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, thanked Knicks fans for backing the team to clinch the championship. "Somehow, some way, I knew we were going to find a way to get this done," Brunson said. New York, already swarming with football supporters for the World Cup, faced traffic chaos with street closures enforced across Manhattan during the parade. But for many lifelong Knicks fans the disruption was justified, as Thursday's parade marked an emotional culmination of years of following the team. Players celebrate during the New York Knicks' NBA championship parade in New York, 18 June, 2026 AP Photo James Smallwood, a 62-year-old retiree, recalled his memories of when the Knicks last won the Finals in 1973. "I was nine, doing New York stuff, riding bikes and playing tag and I remember my sisters drinking Miller High Life when the Knicks won.” "That's when I became a fan. I'm a five-time cancer survivor, so this means so much to see," he said. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more New York erupts as Knicks win first NBA title since 1973 New York Knicks win NBA Championship for first time in more than 50 years Trump booed by crowd during national anthem prior to NBA Finals in New York New York Zohran Mamdani NBA Basketball United States