Sports

Donald Trump praises historic New York Knicks win: 'What a year'

Nairavoice · Jun 14, 2026 · 3 min read

President Donald Trump praised the New York Knicks for clinching their first NBA Championship win in over 50 years.

Trump congratulated owner Jim Dolan and the newly minted NBA champions after the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, capping a cinematic 4-1 series.

“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four – Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, June 14.

New York‘s last NBA Finals win came in 1973, three years after its first championship in 1970. Best known before his White House turns as a New York businessman, Trump is a longtime fan of the city’s more popular NBA franchise.

Knicks win first NBA championship since 1973, ending decades of heartbreak

In his Truth Social post, Trump congratulated point guard Jalen Brunson, who scored a whopping game-high 45 points, as well as other Knicks players.

“Also, tonight, a superstar was born,” Trump said. “His name is Jalen Brunson, and there are others, including, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and great Patriot, Mitchell Robinson! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The NBA Finals shifted back to San Antonio for Game 5 as Knicks supporters continued to travel with the team.

See the familiar faces supporting New York on the road during the series.

Above, Tracy Morgan, John Turturro, and Giancarlo Esposito pose for a photo before Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

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The NBA Finals shifted back to San Antonio for Game 5 as Knicks supporters continued to travel with the team.

See the familiar faces supporting New York on the road during the series.

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Trump attended Game 3 of the Finals, the only Knicks loss of the series, in New York as the guest of franchise owner James Dolan.

Trump himself made history as the first sitting president to watch an NBA Finals game in person. The president’s appearance was booed by attendees in the stands as the national anthem played, though Trump later told reporters that “I think it was mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was enthusiastic.”

Trump, who turn 80 on June 14, has centered sports during his second term. He will host a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House during his birthday, a faceoff titled UFC Freedom 250 much anticipated by conservatives and panned by liberal critics. Trump has also said the United States and Iran may ink a deal on his birthday to end the four-month war that has caused gas prices to soar across the country.

Contributing: Kristie Ackert and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump praises New York Knicks win

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