MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Where this Knicks title stands in New York pro sports history
Jonquil Jones and the Liberty go up the Canyon of Heroes as fans cheer during the ticker-tape parade held in their honor on
Oct. 24, 2024, in New York.
New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath plays during super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts on Jan. 12, 1969, at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
Members of the New York Rangers take turns lifting the Stanley Cup on the lead float as over a million fans lined the Canyon of Heroes for a June 17, 1994, parade in new York.
Representing the New York Giants team that won super Bowl XLII are, from left, Michael Strahan, Antonio Pierce, head coach Tom Coughlin, Jeff Feagles, and Shaun O'Hara. The group was honored prior to a game against the detroit Lions in their home opener on sept. 18, 2017, in east Rutherford, N.J.
NBA
The Knicks have finally done it.
They've brought a championship back to New York City, their first since 1973, ending a long string of disappointing results and playoff flameouts. How will their 2026 NBA championship compare with other New York pro sports titles? Will Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby — the Knicks' playoff heroes — stand alongside the Derek Jeters, the Eli Mannings and the Joe Namaths of the world?
Let's look back at some other significant championships in New York sports history:
New York Liberty, 2024 WNBA championship
The Liberty won their first-ever WNBA title in 2024 via a Game 5 victory over the Minnesota Lynx. Following Gotham FC's NWSL championship in 2023, it marked a continued resurgence of women's sports in the Big apple. The Liberty were one of the WNBA's three original founding franchises in 1997, yet finally claimed their first title 27 years later.
New York City Football Club, 2021 MLS Cup
Like the Liberty's, NYCFC's 2021 MLs Cup win — which it claimed in penalties over the Portland Timbers — was the club's first in its history. NYCFC achieved the Cup in just its seventh season as a franchise, one of the quickest ascensions in the league's history.
New York Giants, Super Bowl XLII in 2008
In the first of two battles between the Giants and the Patriots, New York took down a goliath in that undefeated New England squad in super Bowl XLII. The Giants won 17-14, capped by an 83-yard, game-winning drive that featured the David Tyree helmet catch and Plaxico Burress' go-ahead touchdown.
New York Yankees, 1996 World Series
The Yankees' 1996 World series win over the Atlanta Braves in six games ended their 18-year title drought and sparked the beginning of one of the biggest modern dynasties in Major League Baseball history. It also marked the start of the Core Four's run — Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada — who racked up four World series wins from 1996 to 2000.
New York Rangers, 1994 Stanley Cup
The Rangers claimed the 1994 Stanley Cup in a seven-game series against the Vancouver Canucks. With their 3-2 win in Game 7, the Rangers snagged their first title in 54 years, still their only championship over the last 80 years. similar to the Knicks' run, the title was a unifying moment for New York sports fans.
New York Islanders, 1983 Stanley Cup
In 1983, the Islanders became just the second NHL team to win four straight Stanley Cups. They did it in dominant fashion, sweeping the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers to cement their dynasty. It was also their 19th consecutive playoff series win, a north American professional record that still stands today.
New York Mets, 1969 World Series
After the Mets' inaugural season in 1962, they finally escaped the cellar by winning the 1969 World series. The Mets entered the season as 100-1 underdogs, and even when they made the World series, they were heavily favored to lose, but the "Miracle Mets" beat the Baltimore Orioles in five games for their first of two World series in franchise history.
New York Jets, 1969 Super Bowl III
The earliest championship on this list, the Jets' 1969 super Bowl win paved the way for the national Football League as we know it today. after the NFL's Green Bay Packers won the first two super Bowls, the Jets — of the rival American Football League — defeated the NFL's Baltimore Colts 16-7, led by Namath under center. The win proved the AFL was legit and led to the two leagues' eventual merger.
