By admin 
It has been weeks since the New York Knicks won their first NBA title in 53 years, and being called champions still does not sound right to the ears of their star center, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Now that he can proudly call himself an NBA champion, KAT admits it still feels surreal, especially when people around him constantly remind him of it.
Everywhere he goes, particularly in New York, fans call him and treat him like the champion that he is, shaking his hand, asking for his photos and autographs and cheering him – a star who finally scaled the NBA mountaintop and did a lot to put the Knicks there.
“I still can’t believe it,” he
“It still is something hard to believe. Growing up, seeing the Knicks not be able to win the championship and then to be in a Knicks jersey and be the one to do it – it’s an honor, it’s a blessing.”
KAT knows the Knicks earned it
The Knicks breeze through the Eastern Conference on their way to clinching their first Finals spot since 1999. Then came the young and hungry San Antonio Spurs. After dethroning the Oklahoma City Thunder, they faced the veteran Knicks.
In the first three rounds, Towns averaged 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists across 14 games. With Jalen Brunson manning the helm, KAT was able to play a more well-rounded role, contributing not only as a scorer but also as a facilitator and an elite defensive presence, helping limit French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Karl posted 13.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists. After five games, which included a historic Game 4 comeback that saw the Knicks erase a 27-point deficit, the storied franchise finally took home the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Brunson won the Finals MVP, but everyone on the squad played their role in achieving the ultimate goal, especially Towns. In other words, the Knicks earned this and their new label.
“I still can’t fathom that we’ve done it. People call me champ, and I’m like, I don’t know why they keep calling me that. But it’s something that we’ve earned, and the city has earned: the right to call ourselves champions,” the Dominican-American star said.
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Towns worked hard for this chip
After a stellar one-year stint at Kentucky, Towns immediately made an impact on the Minnesota Timberwolves, who drafted him with the first overall pick in 2015. He ultimately won Rookie of the Year, setting the stage for him as the next centerpiece of the franchise.
However, Towns, along with other star players who have played for the team, could not bring the Timberwolves to the Finals. Even with Anthony Edwards emerging as the new centerpiece and Rudy Gobert joining the mix, they never quite found the winning formula, reaching as far as the Western Conference Finals.
Then, when Towns was traded to the Knicks in 2024, everything changed. They first fell short against the Indiana Pacers in 2025, then returned the following year to finish the job.
For Towns, the championship was the culmination of his over a decade of hard work, marked by relentless criticism about his play style and mentality. Now, he is not only a six-time All-Star and an NBA three-point king – he is an NBA champion.
“You work your whole life for this moment,” he said. “Throughout my career I’ve seen myself fall down, people tell me to stay down and I got back up…I kept trusting God. I kept trusting my faith. I kept trusting the work.”
Now, the Knicks are entering a new season facing a reshaped Eastern Conference. But Towns and NY will be eager to prove that their title was no fluke and go back-to-back. After all, “two-time champion” has a much better ring to it.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 2:09 AM.