Jalen Brunson has spent the past four seasons giving New York Knicks fans reasons to believe again. On Tuesday night, he finally gets to share something an entire generation of supporters had only dreamed about.
The Knicks will receive their championship rings and raise their first NBA title banner in 53 years before opening the 2026-27 season against LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.
For Brunson, the ceremony is about much more than celebrating the players who brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to New York.
It’s about the people who never stopped waiting.
“Definitely special,” Brunson said Monday when asked about sharing the moment with Knicks fans in a video posted by SNY. “They deserve it. This is something that’s been brewing for a long time and to share this moment with them is definitely going to be special.”
It was a fitting message from the captain of a team that ended one of basketball’s longest championship droughts.
Jalen Brunson Makes Ring Night About Knicks Fans
New York’s championship run in June delivered its first title since 1973, when Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and company established the standard that generations of Knicks teams tried to match.
Brunson and his teammates finally ended that wait by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
The Knicks captain scored 45 points in the clinching victory, cementing his place in franchise history.
Yet his latest comments reflected something Knicks fans have come to appreciate about their leader: Even after reaching the sport’s pinnacle, Brunson has remained focused on the collective achievement.
That connection extends well beyond Madison Square Garden.
Throughout the playoffs, neighborhood bars became gathering places for New Yorkers following every possession, celebrating each victory and, ultimately, watching their team make history.
Now, those same establishments are receiving a tangible reminder of the championship.
Michelob ULTRA, the official beer sponsor of the NBA and Knicks, has turned pieces of the official 2026 NBA Finals court into commemorative bottle openers.
Former Knicks players Earl Monroe and John Wallace personally delivered the collectibles and game tickets to New York City bartenders who helped create the atmosphere surrounding the championship run.
“It means everything to team up with Michelob ULTRA and celebrate those behind the bar, because they don’t get as much recognition,” Wallace said in the company’s announcement.
Knicks Championship Celebration Extends Across New York
The celebration won’t be limited to the Garden.
Michelob ULTRA is offering fans opportunities to win one of 2,026 limited-edition bottle openers made from the championship hardwood through its Superior Access promotion.
Beginning Monday, Oct. 19, eligible fans can enter by commenting #ULTRACourtside #Sweepstakes on the brand’s designated Instagram post. The promotion runs through Oct. 26 and is open to U.S. residents 21 and older, with no purchase necessary. Official rules are available online.
The company is also releasing limited-edition Knicks championship packaging and launching its “Raise One Up” campaign, with advertising around Madison Square Garden, Penn Station and Times Square.
A commemorative film revisiting the championship run is scheduled to debut during Tuesday’s NBC broadcast.
For Knicks fans, those celebrations offer another opportunity to relive a season they waited decades to experience.
For Brunson, the night will also mark a transition.
Once the rings are distributed and the banner is raised, the Knicks must turn their attention to a formidable Philadelphia team featuring James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.
Defending the championship will bring different challenges, and coach Mike Brown has emphasized the importance of moving forward without losing sight of what made last season successful.
Tuesday, however, offers a brief opportunity to appreciate what New York accomplished.
And Brunson wants the people who helped make it meaningful to enjoy every second.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Sends Heartfelt Message to Fans Before Ring Night