New York City celebrates the Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years
After a 53-year wait, the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship, sparking celebrations across New York City. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Manhattan for a historic ticker-tape parade that turned a Thursday workday into an impromptu holiday as the city honored its victorious team.
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If you can dream it, you can achieve it – that’s the mindset of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. has heading into the second half of the 2026 MLB season.
In 2024, Chisholm and the Yankees came close to snapping the “Big Four” sports league championship drought in New York. The Los Angeles Dodgers, the team the Yankees will begin their second half against Friday night in the Bronx, finished this Fall Classic in five games in their favor.
But Chisholm got to witness what a title parade looks like in New York this past month, when the New York Knicks broke a 53-year drought and sent the five boroughs and the surrounding tri-state area into an absolute frenzy of joy, tears and countless other emotions.
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees smiles during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on June 25, 2026. (Natalie Reid/MLB Images)
Winning the World Series in October is the obvious goal for every MLB team, especially for the 27-time pinstripe champions. But Chisholm told Pakinomist Digital that his conversations with Knicks players during their NBA title celebration only heightened his need to hoist a trophy himself.
“Me and a couple of my teammates talked about it, and a couple [Knicks] talked about it too. I talked to Jalen about it and just to see how it felt. Hear it out of his voice and he gets goosebumps again talking about it. It’s just a feeling you want to experience,” Chisholm said while highlighting his collaboration with Corona as part of their limited-edition Beach Connect Series jerseys.
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“I talk to my boys about it and we’re all on board.”
Chisholm, an impending free agent, wouldn’t even discuss the future after the World Series because he wants to stay in the present as the Yankees try to cement their place in the postseason.
It was a rough couple of weeks for New York heading into the All-Star break, but they rattled off four straight wins to regain momentum before the reset.
They have also been without their three-time MVP slugger Aaron Judge, who remains out with a rib injury. Despite his recovery taking longer than expected — Judge has not been cleared to perform baseball activities — the Yankees captain remains in good spirits and helps his team where he can.
Josh Hart of the New York Knicks and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees talk before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium in New York. (New York Yankees/Getty Images)
“He’s still a big voice in the clubhouse for us. He comes to a lot of road games where he doesn’t have to,” Chisholm explained. “He could stay at home and rest and do his rehab, but he still makes a point of coming and being with the boys and trying to help lead us. Even though he can’t help us on the field, he tries to help us when he can off the field. We still rally around him.
“He’s still the most positive guy in the clubhouse every day, so we can’t wait to get him back and turn things up a notch.”
The umpire is crucial to the Yankees’ World Series hopes as they look to hoist their first trophy since the 2009 season. For the Yankees and its fan base, it feels like a century long, but Chisholm knows he and his teammates will continue to fight to break the drought.
He wants to be on the parade float just like the Knicks were.
“You dream about it sometimes,” Chisholm admitted. “You’re sitting there, you’re going to sleep, and you wake up like, ‘Dang, that’s what I want.’ I’ve had that dream of us partying in the parade after we won the World Series and New York went as crazy as it did for the Knicks for us. That’s all we’re looking for.”
New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. celebrates his two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Detroit on June 23, 2026. (Paul Sancya/Associated Press)
“LA PLAYA” MENTALITY COMES TO LIFE
The All-Star break means high summer, which Corona used to help fans enjoy the moment with six Corona Beach Connect Series jerseys, all designed by six MLB All-Stars including Chisholm.
Along with Chisholm, Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña and Philadelphia Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez each added flair to a jersey inspired by their beach memories.
Corona’s Beach Connect Series brings together six MLB All-Stars, including the New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., to help fans enjoy the summer days where baseball and beach life connect. (Corona)
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For Chisholm, the first-ever Bahamian All-Star in MLB history showed off his fashion chops with the vibrant colors, textures and sounds of his island he calls home. There’s turquoise water, pink sand, musicians on the front to pay tribute to his love of music off the field, and a conch patch that’s a meaningful nod to his roots.
“I just feel like it was an inspiration for how I grew up, where I come from, the person that I am. I feel like me and Corona have a lot in common, especially with the beach mentality,” Chisholm said. “I feel like the beach mindset is my normal mindset, you know what I mean? It’s about the chill, the music, the seafood. It’s playing in the sand with your family. Just enjoying the day, kicking back and relaxing. So that’s what I feel like we came up with with the concept.”
