Knicks fans flood Manhattan for a joyous championship parade

Chaos, disorganization and rain didn’t stop New Yorkers from showing up and showing out for this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

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Glistening in the sun from about 1,000 feet away, the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy dazzled attendees, arriving in New York after a 53-year title drought .

The Knicks may have been on the court, but it was the city that won the championship.

A family in matching Jalen Brunson jerseys. Three generations of Knicks fans. Honoring deceased loved ones. This championship meant a lot to New Yorkers, and they showed out in droves Thursday to prove it .

Vincent Marshall, of Staten Island, grew up watching Patrick Ewing with his older brother, James. He came in part to honor his brother, a firefighter, who died before he could see the Knicks win a championship.

“He saw the Giants; he saw the Yankees,” Marshall, 43, told NBC News. “For him not to see this — the closest he got was ’99 — for him to be looking down on everybody right now, it’s really truly a special moment.”

It took a lot of dedication to witness the festivities. For a parade scheduled to start at 10 a.m., the pens to watch alongside Broadway were full by 7:30 a.m. Even estimates from city officials to arrive at least two hours early were not enough.

In the hours before the parade, people anxiously awaited the arrival of their champions. Each element to get to the parade was bubbling up with Knicks energy. Trains were slowly filling up with fans, many of whom skipped work, adjusted their schedules or were fortunate to have the day off. For some, that meant hopping on a plane to get here.

Nasheena Cates, a software engineer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, flew in for the parade. Born and raised in Harlem, she booked her tickets Monday, taking off from work with approval from her manager. She got up at 4 a.m. to secure her spot.

“This is just amazing, you know, a bucket list item,” said Cates, 37. “I’ve been a Knicks fan all my life.”

The parade was star-studded, with one float featuring rappers Fat Joe, Wu-Tang Clan and Jadakiss. Knicks superfan (and Oscar-nominated actor) Timothée Chalamet was on a float with a microphone. “Law & Order” star Mariska Hargitay had her own moment walking in the parade. And director Spike Lee was having the time of his life on top of a bus.

Brunson, on the last float of current players, drew the loudest cheers, with chants of “MVP” sent in his direction.

Evan Birnbaum grew up on Long Island and knew he had to be here to witness the Knicks parade, drawing on a core memory from his childhood. He got up early to complete the work he had to do and was able to catch the City Hall festivities.

“I was here in 2009 for the Yankees parade, and I got pulled out of school. It wasn’t my decision if I was gonna go or not. I was in sixth grade. I got the call, I was in Spanish class,” said Birnbaum, 30. “It was a lifelong memory with my dad and my brother.”

It is also becoming a memory for many children and their parents. Kenneth Hart, 38, showed up with his wife and family of young children, who woke up before him at 4:30 a.m. to get to the parade. He shares the fandom with his whole family.

“Everybody’s a die-hard — my dad, my grandmother,” Hart said. “My dad, me and him cried together. They won on his birthday, June 13.”

The road to the championship wasn’t easy for the organization after many years of stops and starts. The Finals run had many beautiful moments, chief among them OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in during Game 4 , setting the Knicks up 3-1 in the series.

“I was a little relieved when they lost Game 3, though, because I know, as a Knick fan who’s been traumatized, I was like, ‘Please don’t blow with a 3-0 lead,’” said Nicholas Arroyo, 35, of Staten Island. “So, when they went [up] 2-1, I was like, ‘All right, well, they’ll close out from here.’”

Nassau Street, a block parallel to the east of Broadway, was its own economy. People sold fans anything from juice to ice-cold water bottles, buttons, hats, T-shirts and flags.

As the parade wound down, shops began opening up with lines forming for the hungry customers whose movements had previously been restricted.

But the party wasn’t over just yet. An orange and blue sea migrated north to City Hall to continue the ceremonial commemorations.

The 600-ticket lottery for the general public didn’t stop fans from getting close to the celebration. Spectators took over what they could access of City Hall Park, stretching to Pace University and the Brooklyn Bridge before being met with more barricades.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave a speech, as did James Dolan, the team’s owner, head coach Mike Brown and Brunson. The whole affair was emceed by longtime Knicks announcer Mike Breen , who was also the voice of the NBA Finals for ESPN.

The Knicks were presented with keys to the city. The starting lineup of Brunson, Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges all got strong receptions when their names were called. New York’s very own Jose Alvarado was greeted with chants of his nickname, “GTA.”

At the end, singer and New Yorker Alicia Keys performed her hit “Empire State of Mind.”

Police said more than 2 million people lined the Canyon of Heroes . Thousands of people were locked out of watching the parade, stuck in the subway or unable to get to the secured pens. But some were happy just to be in lower Manhattan for the experience.

“I just wanted to bear witness and be part of the huge celebration that was today,” said Melanie Clark, 57, who was a block away from Broadway during the parade.

The experience wasn’t positive for everyone. Thousands were locked out of entry with few tickets to the ceremony, and many had complaints about the length of the route. Lower Manhattan became frozen beyond expectation , with subways stopping south of Canal Street, a border that had earlier applied only to cars.

None of that was going to stop the party, even with the chaos.

“It’s a vibe, you know,” said Wendy Daly, 64. “It’s OK if you don’t see the marchers go past. I know what they’ll look like. I came more because I love this city so darn much.”

Throughout the championship run, one thing that was repeatedly remarked upon was how it brought the city together . The city is united with the Knicks, the dominant basketball force. For those born and raised here, it was a beautiful embodiment of the region.

The fandom reignited a sense of joy and togetherness in New York and even brought together new fans. The parade itself was bringing people together. Clark and Daly met outside Joe’s Pizza, both unable to spectate from the sidelines, and ended up sticking together the rest of the day.

“New York is a very fast city,” said Gerard Allison, 29, who designed shirts for him and his friends to wear. “Today, everybody got to slow down and know we’re all here to celebrate the city.”

Throughout the day, various fans shouted exclamations of “Two-peat” and “Back-to-back,” already gearing up for the next championship celebration.

And for new supporters joining the bandwagon, third-generation Knicks fan Ryan Lee, 9, has a message.

“We’re gonna win next year for you,” Ryan said.