The New York Knicks are NBA champions. After 53 long years, the drought is over. On Saturday night, the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 to win the title.
All of New York went crazy, and it felt like a movie. But while the city was busy celebrating, Jalen Brunson’s sister Erica had some business to take care of.
Erica Brunson’s Message to All the Haters
Back in April, just a few days before the playoffs began, Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd used his FS1 and Fox Sports Radio show to question Brunson’s abilities openly. He even suggested that with strong teams like the Boston Celtics in the East, the Knicks had little to no shot at a championship.
“Jalen Brunson’s very good, he’s not great. If you look at the teams in the playoffs, their best player is Wemby and Jokić and Ant (Anthony Edwards). Right now, LeBron, Tatum, and Brown. He’s just…he’s not that guy.”
“And so I look at the New York Knicks, and this is why the Giannis discussion is so relevant. It’s that Jalen Brunson has to be a number two. On a great team, a three. But I think New York is convinced he’s one of the best Knicks of all-time,” Cowherd said back in April.
That statement aged like milk. The Knicks took care of the Atlanta Hawks in six games. Then they swept the Philadelphia 76ers in four. Then they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four more. Then they made it all the way to the Finals and beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1.
After the championship was officially announced, Erica made it clear that she had not forgotten the criticism. She went online and called out the analysts who spent months questioning her brother’s game and the Knicks’ ability to compete at the highest level.
“Unfortunately, I’m petty and idc. WHAT. NOW!!! Where will the goal post move now?” Erica wrote on X.
Unfortunately I’m petty and idc. WHAT. NOW!!! Where will the goal post move now? https://t.co/PxdpGkcEC9
— Erica Brunson (@eribrunson) June 14, 2026
She also called out Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, who had commented two years ago that Brunson was “too small” to be a true 1A player on a championship team.
Now what? https://t.co/Q3P7BJ9wZS
— Erica Brunson (@eribrunson) June 14, 2026
As for Game 5 itself, it was a wild one. The Knicks were down by 10 points after the first quarter. Then they found their footing in the second quarter and cut the deficit to five by halftime. In the second half, the Knicks went on to score 57 points after halftime and ultimately won the game.
Brunson finished with 45 points, three rebounds, and three assists. With that performance, he joined a very short list including Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bob Pettit as the only players in NBA history to score 45 or more points in a closeout game in the Finals.
In the end, what this whole run proves is simple. Doubt is a powerful motivator. The Knicks heard every word people said about them, and they went out and won anyway.
