Knicks parade draws 2 million as city celebrates first NBA title in 53 years; Times Square shooting follows

A 53-year wait ends

The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on June 13 to secure their first title since 1973, winning 15 of their last 16 playoff games. The parade on Thursday began at 10 a.m. at the southern tip of Manhattan and moved up Broadway's Canyon of Heroes toward City Hall. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul, and players Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby rode a float, throwing T-shirts and dancing as blue-and-orange confetti fell. The NYPD estimated more than 2 million people attended, and 10,000 officers were deployed. The Downtown Alliance delivered 2,500 pounds of shredded paper for the event.

City Hall ceremony and Mamdani's speech

At the ceremony, Mamdani presented the team with keys to the city and delivered a speech that traced the franchise's history. He named Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, John Starks, Patrick Ewing, Spike Lee, Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porziņģis, and others whose efforts fell short. The mayor highlighted the Game 4 comeback against the Spurs, when the Knicks trailed by 29 points in the second half and the opponent had a 99.6% win probability.

“When we are told something is impossible, we find a way, we win.”

Dolan's resistance

Owner James Dolan, seated with arms crossed, was booed by the crowd. He took a dig at the mayor during his remarks.

“I don't need to quote to you about what happened here, because if you're real Knick fans, you know it already.”

Dolan had earlier accused Mamdani of being a fake fan and criticized the mayor's decision to close Midtown streets for a finals game. In contrast, players Anunoby and Trey Jemison III praised Mamdani, calling him "a great guy" and "a phenomenal person."

Jersey number error

A banner outside City Hall featured current player Dillon Jones wearing number 33, which was retired in honor of Patrick Ewing. Jones had worn No. 1 in all seven games this season, but the online roster listed him as 33. Fans criticized the error as a slight against Ewing, who attended the ceremony and called the championship victory "special" and a "great joy."

Fashion and celebrity

First Lady Rama Duwaji wore a one-shouldered top made from upcycled Knicks T-shirts by designer Claire Sullivan. Alicia Keys performed "Empire State of Mind." Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, and Spike Lee were among the crowd.

Gunfire in Times Square

Around 3:40 p.m., after the parade, at least two people in black clothing fired handguns in Times Square, sending tourists and bystanders running for cover. Police chased the suspect; one person was taken to a hospital. The shooting occurred despite the heavy police presence, and follows a weekend incident in which a 17-year-old was shot in the foot during celebrations.