The New York Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals to win their third NBA championship in franchise history.
The Knicks earned many new fans with their historic run, but the franchise’s fanbase is getting criticized by some pundits for their destructive celebration following the Game 5 victory.
Analysts Slam New York Knicks Fans for NBA Championship Celebration
Knicks fans came into the spotlight during the playoffs, going viral for taking over the streets of New York after victories. Unfortunately, there was violence, destroyed vehicles, and arrests after several games.
After the Game 5 win, authorities arrested 63 people for a range of offenses such as “assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration,” according to Fox 5 (New York). In one viral video, Knicks fans were seen lighting a school bus on fire.
Earlier in the series, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had eggs thrown at him while he walked into the team hotel. Brandon Walker of Barstool Sports bashed Knicks fans for their behavior on “Wake Up Barstool” on Monday.
“This is the most likable team that I’m happiest for with the most unlikable fanbase I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Walker said. “[Jalen] Brunson and KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) are likable. Josh Hart, I love the way he plays basketball. [OG] Anunoby is likable. Then you go outside the arena and watch World War III happen as everybody is turning over school buses and doing all this… I’m so happy for the Knicks…. But the rest of you, you don’t deserve this.”
“This is the most likeable team with the most unlikable fanbase” –@BFW https://t.co/ZnngYiUhLN pic.twitter.com/KCqTT3fKFn
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 15, 2026
Echoing that perspective, Barstool Sports founder and CEO Dave Portnoy also weighed in.
“My hat’s off to the Knicks players who are a very likable team… Their fans are jerks, they are everything that makes people hate New York. They riot and burn down the city like it’s Gotham. Then, they complain,” Portnoy said.
Portnoy also went on to criticize some of the celebrities who are Knicks fans and appeared in numbers during the NBA Finals.
This Knicks team is so likable, it’s a shame their fans are everything people hate about New York pic.twitter.com/VHOYtLun09
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 15, 2026
“There are guys who are half Lakers fans, half Knicks fans. I hate Spike Lee, [but] that guy’s been going since the dawn of time. Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet, [they’ve] been going. But there’s a lot of new ones riding on. These fans, seeing what they do to the city, that bothers me. Seeing them celebrate bothers me,” he added.
Despite the incidents of street brawling and vandalism during and after the NBA Finals, celebrations are scheduled to continue on Thursday when the Knicks will hold their official championship parade.
