OG Anunoby had a simple answer after the Knicks finished off the NBA title in San Antonio on Saturday night: “We did it.”
The celebration came after New York’s 94-90 win in Game 5, a victory that sealed the franchise’s first championship in 53 years. For Anunoby, who also won a title on June 13 with Toronto seven years ago, the date carried extra meaning. “Yeah, it’s a great day,” he said when asked whether this was the luckiest day of his life. “What’s it, June 13th? Yes.”
The Knicks’ run was defined by resilience, and Anunoby pointed to that immediately. “We went through a lot this season, a lot of ups and downs, but we just stay with it,” he said. “We’re resilient, mentally tough, and we won.”
Later, he echoed the same theme in broader terms: “Just that you can do anything you put your mind to, you know? Whatever someone tells you you can’t do something, that’s when you can. So just being resilient, being mentally tough, not listening to they, just believing in yourself.”
That mindset carried into the locker room after the final buzzer. “Just excitement, everyone just happy for each other,” Anunoby said. “The whole organization, you know, just it’s a long season. Started in September in Abu Dhabi to San Antonio in June. Like we’ve been through a lot. We’re a very close-knit group, very together, very mentally tough, and we’re just happy and excitement.”
Anunoby also made clear that this championship felt different from the first one he won with Toronto because he was able to play a central role this time. “I mean, last one I didn’t get a chance to play, but it was special as well,” he said. “They’re both very special. And this one, New York had it won in 53 years. So I mean, I’m sure the fans are going crazy. It’s just very special to do it for New York.”
The title run included plenty of pressure, and Anunoby never lost sight of the standard set by Jalen Brunson. After Brunson scored 45 points in the closeout game, Anunoby called the performance exactly what it looked like. “Just, you know, resilient. Mentally tough. No matter what, when we’re down, just stay in attack mode. Play till the end. He’s an amazing player, and he showed the world tonight.”
Anunoby then allowed himself a look ahead to the individual highlight that helped decide the series, his game-winner in Game 4. Asked how many times he thought he would watch it in the next week, he smiled at the idea of letting the moment breathe first. “Right now I’m just going to be celebrating with my teammates and family and friends,” he said. “So I mean, I’m sure one day I’ll wake up in August and watch a highlight of it and be I mean, I’m very proud of it, but just right now I’m just excited and happy we won.”
