Josh Hart says the Knicks were fueled by disrespect on their title run

Fresh off the New York Knicks' first NBA championship since 1973, Josh Hart said the team drew motivation from feeling dismissed by the San Antonio Spurs during the Finals. The Knicks ended a 53-year wait for the title, and celebrations in New York continued as Hart reflected on the run.

Hart said the Spurs acted as if their side was already the true champion after beating Oklahoma City in Game 7, and that their players behaved like the series was over. “We felt a little disrespect from the Spurs,” he said. “They celebrated like they had already won the championship. They kept saying this was the real final and that the winner would definitely come from the West, and their players acted like it was over. That made us very angry.”

He added that the Spurs did not give New York the respect it deserved, even after Knicks wins. “They just stepped off the court,” he said, adding that the lack of credit “gave us more drive and the desire to finish the job.”

Hart also singled out Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, calling him “a wonderful player, just amazing,” but saying he too had shown disrespect. “The moment he cried after Game 7 against Oklahoma, I knew it was ours and that we would bring back the championship,” Hart said. He described the aftermath as pure joy, saying the team has been celebrating for a week and that the title was earned through the hardest work imaginable.