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President Donald Trump congratulated the New York Knicks on their NBA championship early Sunday morning as the team shut out the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5.
Jalen Brunson won the NBA Finals MVP award as he scored 45 points, leading the Knicks to a 94-90 victory. It was New York’s first NBA championship since 1973.
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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson moves to teammates during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio on June 13, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
“Congratulations to Jim Dolan and the New York Knicks!!! What a year it’s been, but even more so what incredible playoff wins we’ve all witnessed, especially the last four – Perhaps the greatest in basketball history,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“Also tonight, a superstar was born. His name is Jalen Brunson, and there are others, including Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and the great Patriot, Mitchell Robinson!”
Trump was in attendance for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden—the only game the Knicks lost in the series. New York stormed back from 29 points down in Game 4 to shock San Antonio. New York was down by as many as 16 points in Game 5 before slowly chipping away at the Spurs’ lead.
“I have no words,” Brunson said on the court immediately after the Knicks’ win. “It’s everything I ever dreamed of.”
President Donald Trump signs a proclamation on the fishing industry, while Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum listen in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on June 11, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
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New York head coach Mike Brown said he had no doubt Brunson would be the NBA Finals MVP, but wondered why the star guard didn’t get NBA MVP votes.
“I hope you guys will listen to me: He’s a top-three MVP candidate,” Brown said. “Everybody kind of mentions his name in passing. They don’t take it seriously enough. … He’s a solid 1-A. He’s an MVP candidate and I hope tonight you guys recognize what this man is all about.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson falls after a foul during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio on June 13, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)
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“He is him.”
