The New York Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought on Saturday by defeating the San Antonio Spurs away in Texas. This victory capped a dream season, bringing the NBA title back to the city for the first time in more than five decades.
On Thursday, June 18, tens of thousands of delirious fans, including parents, children, and celebrities, flooded Lower Manhattan for a victory rally and ticker-tape parade. The city became a sea of blue and orange as the procession moved through a 10-block route known as the Canyon of Heroes, with blue and orange confetti swirling through the air.
Fans chanted "Let's go Knicks" and some paid hundreds of dollars for line sitters to secure prime viewing spots overnight. The celebration was heavily secured, yet the atmosphere remained jubilant as fans decked out in team jerseys, hats, and necklaces filled the streets.
Along Church Street, some fans lit joints, drank Coronas and Fireball whiskey, and climbed atop police cruisers to pose for photos. New York City police officers appeared bemused and outnumbered as the crowd celebrated a title that fans had waited decades to see.