We are the Champions!

 30 years. That's how long I've been a Knicks fan. Since I was in 5th grade. Through the ups and downs, the many, many downs, the mismanagement, even the horrors of the Phil Jackson era...I've been a Knicks fan. I never thought I would see the day the Knicks were NBA Champions. Not only for the 30 years have I been watching the sport...not for the 41 years I've been alive...but for 53 long years the Knicks were held out of the Champions list. I've seen them play in the Finals before. Most of the time I've seen them fall short. This year, though...this year was different. Not only did the Knicks win the NBA Championship, they dominated the playoffs. Largest margins of victory. Longest winning streak. Biggest comeback. All these things were accomplished this season, and finally...finally, the Knicks won it all, for the third time in their 79 attempts. One of only three original NBA teams- and one of only two to be in the same city the entire time, the Knicks became only the 9th franchise with 3 or more NBA Championships. I don't know what the future holds, back to back winners are very rare by design in this era. The salary cap already cost the Knicks three of the Championship players including key important player Mitchell Robinson, so even though I think a repeat is possible with this core, I'm not going to assume it's a given. I am going to relish every moment of this playoff series and I will rewatch it every time MSG repeats it. 

Now, documenting this on cards. That fell on Topps Now, which did an OK job. They definitely favored the Spurs, but they did make some very nice cards for my team. 

The Championship team photo is always incredible and this year does not disappoint. Although considering my team won I don't think I would be disappointed in any way, lol. 

OG's amazing shot will forever go down as one of the biggest moments in Knicks history. 

Jalen absolutely deserved the MVP. He went above and beyond what most people expected of him. 

Trading for KAT is what made this Finals run possible. That is when the team started to take shape. 

I even got to see a parade for my team! A parade in NY is always great, and in the last three years I've gotten to see one for the Liberty and the Knicks. For a basketball fan it doesn't get much better than that. 

Unfortunately Topps only made 4 cards for the parade, but I got them all, of course. 

Finally, on July 23rd my Champions team set arrived.

A 15 card insert with one parallel or autograph.  Here are all 15 cards.

My only complaint is that Mike Brown didn't get a card. This was one of the few times in the league where a coach made a positive difference in the team. 

My parallel was the SP version of Mikal Bridges.

I have to be honest, I would rather the Champions team set had been the players with the trophy rather than the action shots. They are good too, and all photos from the finals, but posing with the trophy is special. 

It's now a month later, the cards are all in hand proving this actually happened...but I still can't quite fully believe it. A small part of me still expects to wake up and have it all have been a dream. 

I had to get the shirt too. Fanatics didn't make anything good in my size, so I ended up ordering a bootleg off a Facebook ad. Gotta do what you gotta do.

New York Knicks, 2026 NBA Champions. I will never, ever get tired of hearing that, or writing it. A dream come true.