The New York Knicks will not hang a banner at Madison Square Garden for winning the 2025 NBA Cup, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The decision came shortly after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night to claim the tournament title.
Mike Brown initially suggested a banner would be raised at MSG. However, the organization reversed course despite the franchise’s 26-year drought without hanging a team banner. The Knicks last celebrated an Eastern Conference championship in 1999.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, winners of the tournament’s first two editions, both hung banners in their arenas. Madison Square Garden has historically reserved banner space for championship achievements, making the Knicks’ decision notable given their long absence from title contention.
“There’s a lot of positives about it. But the most positive is being able to hang a banner up in MSG, the most iconic arena in the league,” Brown said after the victory.
Knicks players appeared largely indifferent to the banner discussion. Karl-Anthony Towns indicated the team would celebrate briefly before returning to regular-season preparation, with a game scheduled Thursday in Indianapolis.
NBA Cup MVP Jalen Brunson emphasized the team’s focus on reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
“I don’t think we’re having a parade. We’re going to enjoy this. But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on,” Brunson said.
The Knicks’ decision reflects the organization’s perspective that the NBA Cup, while meaningful, does not merit the same recognition as conference championships or NBA titles at Madison Square Garden.