NYC Celebrates First Knicks Title in 53 Years

After 53 years of waiting, over 2 million New Yorkers packed the streets Thursday to celebrate something many thought they'd never see: their Knicks winning it all.

The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on Saturday to claim their first NBA championship since 1973. Thursday's ticker-tape parade down Broadway marked the first time in team history the Knicks received this iconic New York honor.

Confetti rained down as players including Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart rode parade floats through lower Manhattan. Several players jumped off to greet fans who had claimed viewing spots before 8 a.m.

For Julio Machicote, the moment meant everything. "This is by far, probably, the greatest day of my life," he told Good Morning America while standing with his son Matthias, who became a Knicks fan this year.

His father Oscar summed up what generations of fans felt: "We finally made it. The Larry O'Brien Trophy is in New York. It belongs to us."

Joe Moledo traveled from Florida, where he now lives, just to be there. "I been waiting 50 years for this," he said.

The Ripple Effect

The celebration brought together everyone from lifelong fans to celebrities like Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, and Martha Stewart. Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented Keys to the City to each player at a City Hall ceremony, the first his administration has given out.

Point guard Jose Alvarado, a New York native, said celebrating in his hometown made the win even more meaningful. "I've been a Knicks fan since I was born. My parents have been Knicks fans. Just seeing this progress, everything that happened, can't really be put in words."

The ceremony ended with Alicia Keys performing "Empire State of Mind" in front of City Hall, draped in Knicks flags and player names.

For one fan, artist Johnny X, the victory represented hope for the future. "When the Yankees won 2009, the next year my daughter was born, so this year, the Knicks win, let's see what the future is going to come," he said.

After five decades of disappointment, New York finally has its moment.