The New York Knicks captured the NBA championship on June 13, 2026, ending a 53-year wait for a title. The team defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to secure the victory. With this win, head coach Mike Brown became a five-time NBA champion coach, earning four rings as an assistant and his fifth as the head coach of the Knicks. He is now the only person other than Red Holzman to have won a title as a Knicks head coach. Brown’s appointment last spring followed the firing of Tom Thibodeau. According to reports from The Killeen Daily Herald and AP News, Brown was linked to at least a half-dozen other candidates during the hiring process. Brown stated that he had “zero control” over who else was interviewing or who was denied permission, noting that he simply did his best during the process and let things unfold. During the postseason, Brown was credited with maintaining a calm demeanor, particularly when the Knicks trailed the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in Round 1. Following that period, the Knicks went 15-1. Knicks forward Josh Hart praised Brown for his understanding of how to build a team and establish championship habits, stating that Brown was “the reason why we’re here.” Brown’s coaching history includes serving as an assistant on the 2003 Spurs title team and winning three more titles as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors. He previously served as the NBA coach of the year with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and the Sacramento Kings in 2023, though he was fired by both organizations. Following the championship, Brown described himself as “gassed” and “so tired,” remarking that the process is harder than people think.