Jalen Brunson won Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2025 before attending Villanova, where he won two national championships and brought home National Player of the Year. After beginning his career in Dallas, he joined the Knicks in Free Agency to a chorus of doubts. Now, he’s a three-time All-NBA selection, one of the league’s most clutch performers, and a New York legend. Champ.

Karl-Anthony Towns was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2014 and later became the #1 overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Kentucky. His time in Minnesota had ups, from All-Star appearances to All-NBA nods, and downs, like playoff shortcomings and questions of whether he’d ever live up to his early-career billing. He was traded to New York in 2024 and given the chance to prove it. Champ.

OG Anunoby was born in London, grew up in Missouri, went to college at Indiana, and was drafted to Toronto. Through it all, he remained an elite defender and winning presence, helping the Raptors to the title in 2019, though he sat out the pivotal Finals series with injury. He was traded to the Knicks in 2023, and now, the memory of his Finals performance will never leave the court. Champ.

Mikal Bridges was Pennsylvania through and through, growing up in Malvern, winning a natty at Nova, and being drafted by the Sixers. But when the Sixers traded his rights on draft night, he began a fruitful chapter in Phoenix, one that ultimately ended when he was traded for Kevin Durant. Then, in 2024, the Knicks made Bridges the prize, ponying up four first round picks to pair him with his former college teammates. Champ.

Josh Hart made waves in the Maryland and D.C. high school basketball scenes before blossoming into an All-American and national champ at Nova. Then, in the NBA, he became a journeyman, spending three years or less with the Lakers, Pelicans, and Blazers. When the Knicks traded for him at the 2023 deadline, Brunson knew he’d found a home. Champ.

Mitchell Robinson terrorized the Florida circuit as a dominant post-scorer and shot-blocker but prepared for the 2018 NBA Draft on his own after choosing to leave Western Kentucky. From there, it was New York or Nowhere. Eight years later, he’s the longest-tenured Knick on a title team. Champ.

Miles “Deuce” McBride was a two-sport star in Cincinnati, Ohio before hanging up his football cleats to focus on basketball. Then, after starring at West Virginia, he was drafted by the Knicks in the second round and slowly made himself irreplaceable, breaking out with a crucial role in New York’s 2024 playoff run. Champ.

Landry Shamet has always been a long-range deadeye, but for years, he couldn’t get a proper shot at the pro level. The Kansas City, Missouri product was a mid-major dog at Wichita State but played for five teams in the first six years of his NBA career. He shot 47.5% from three for the Orange and Blue this playoffs. Champ.

Jose Alvarado introduced himself to basketball fans everywhere with a legendary defensive trick, but he carved out a place for himself in the league with legitimate hard-nosed play. The New York native was a three-star recruit out of high school but won ACC DPOY at Georgia Tech in 2021, playing his way to a five-season stint in New Orleans. After the Knicks nabbed him at this year’s deadline, the hometown hero played a crucial role in the legendary G4 comeback, adding 8 PTS, 3 REB, and 2 AST in 16 MIN. Champ.

Jordan Clarkson is the Knicks’ oldest player at 34 years old, and his journey to the mountaintop has been one to remember. The Lakers drafted Clarkson out of Missouri in 2014, and over time, he became one of the faces of LA’s youth movement. Then, he was dealt to Cleveland in 2018, helping LeBron and co. to the Finals. Six years in Utah brought him a 6MOY award in 2021, and a 2025 signing with the Knicks brought his sparkplug scoring to the Big Apple. He is also the first player of Filipino descent to become an NBA Champ.