Millions of New York Knicks fans celebrated the team's NBA championship with a ticker-tape parade through downtown Manhattan on Thursday morning, months after crowd chaos, hospitalizations and arrests marred the buildup earlier in the day.
Thousands of supporters lined up overnight for a glimpse of the team, and Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and their teammates were in high spirits as they partied with fans in orange and blue along the short route up Broadway to City Hall. Karl-Anthony Towns smoked a large cigar and carried the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals trophy as fans screamed for a look at their heroes.
Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP and Knicks captain, spoke with New York Governor Kathy Hochul before boarding his float and posed for pictures with his wife, Ali, and their young daughter, Jordyn. His mother, Sandra Brunson, said she had no words, echoing her son. She said it was all worth it.
Celebrities join the celebration
Hollywood stars Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee attended after being almost ever-present during the Knicks' playoff run. Stiller is making a documentary about the team's success. Fellow superfans Tracy Morgan and Chris Rock also boarded a float along Broadway.
Lee said he had never been to a parade before and was glad it was this one.
Knicks icon Walt "Clyde" Frazier rode in the first car, leading the players up Broadway's "Canyon of Heroes" in a convertible while wearing his championship rings. Frazier won NBA titles with the Knicks in 1970 and 1973 but never received the parade he was owed.
Players bring their own flair
Head coach Mike Brown sang "Who Let the Dogs Out" before the team even boarded the floats, and Knicks owner James Dolan fist-pumped with the crowd. Mikal Bridges brought along his dog Sonny, an eight-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, and carried a video camera to capture the day.
Anunoby, who scored the go-ahead basket in Game 4 on a tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, stepped off his float to interact with fans, holding the NBA Cup in-season championship trophy in one hand and a bottle of Patron tequila in the other. He later welcomed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani onto his float, and Mamdani was caught on camera dancing with Towns.
A 53-year drought ends
The Knicks' victory, which came after a 53-year title drought, has electrified New Yorkers in recent weeks, and Mamdani predicted the parade could be one of the biggest in the city's history. The NYPD said all viewing pens along the route were full less than three hours before the procession started, packed by fans who had flooded into the city overnight and in the early hours.
Singer Alicia Keys, who collaborated with Jay-Z on the 2009 hit "Empire State of Mind," performed at a City Hall ceremony where Mamdani presented the Knicks roster with the keys to the city.
Security and cleanup
Police deployed 10,000 officers to secure the event, which followed chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The Fire Department said at least nine people were taken to hospitals, though it did not immediately respond to a request for further detail.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a planning meeting Wednesday that officials wanted people to enjoy the moment but that public safety came first. About 650 sanitation workers were assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds of debris, based on past parades.
Fans battle for a view
Thousands of fans slept on the streets overnight to secure the best viewing spots, while millions more streamed into the city on crammed subways to get as close as possible or find any elevated vantage point.
Several blocks from the route, fans stood shoulder to shoulder, some perched on each other's shoulders, and climbed traffic lights, sanitation trucks and Knicks-colored buckets brought from home. On the Brooklyn Bridge, people gathered simply to hear the loudspeakers. At one point before the parade, a small group was crushed against a barrier near Fulton Street, a key subway hub, pinned between a swelling crowd and police officers pushing the barrier to keep fans contained.
Shareefa Wallace, 34, said she had to be there and had woken at 3 a.m. to travel from Long Island. She grew up in the city going to Knicks games and wore the souvenir jersey of Patrick Ewing, a legend from that era.
Nearby bars and delis filled with fans, some wishing they had arrived at dawn, though many seemed at peace with watching from a distance. Jean Strong, who came to the parade from Harlem with his nephew and sister, said they were fine with the fray and just wanted to soak up the New York energy and vibe.
